The Goan Network
Panaji
Sporting Clube de Goa overcame a goal's deficit to beat Dempo Sports Club 2-1 in a GFA Pro League match at Duler stadium, Mapusa on Friday.
Even in the first-leg match, Sporting had emerged victorious by the same margin.
Both teams decided to field a foreigner in their line-up as Nigerian Odafa Okolie and Akeraj Martins partnered for Sporting in the forwardline and Dempo had Nigerian Chika Wali assisting Ali Mohammad in the defense.
Dempo could have gone ahead in the very first minute.A cross by Aniston Fernandes found Beevan D’Mello nicely set up but a timely clearance by Franzil Negredo denied him a goal.
However in the 10th minute Stevan Fernandes set up Beevan just outside the edge of the penalty box, whose carpet drive sneaked between the Sporting defenders into the goal to set up Dempo with the first goal, 1-0.
In the 23rd minute, Beevan could have doubled the score for Dempo where a floater by Aaron Rodrigues was controlled by Beevan inside the danger zone, but before he could pull the trigger Mathew Gonsalves cleared it for a corner.
At the stroke of half hour Sporting’s Jovel Martins moved upfront on the left flank and flashed the ball to Akeraj who in turn relayed the ball to unmarked Ganesh Thakur, who scored with a neat placement to draw level at 1-1.
Sporting upped their ante and moved ahead as in the 42nd minute when Odafa Okolie scored a fine goal in what turned out to be the match-winner.
Scorebox
Sporting Clube 2 beat Dempo SC 1
