PANAJI
FC Goa inflicted a first defeat on Dempo SC in the Goa Football Association Selvel Goa Professional League at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Tuesday.
Vasim Inamdar (43’) and Lalremruata (63’) scored for the Young Gaurs, while Darrel Mascarenhas pulled a goal back for the Golden Eagles as FC Goa won the duel 2-1.
Dempo made three changes as Shubham Malvankar, Ariston Costa and Alber Gonsalves started the game. For FC Goa, coach Deggie Cardozo preferred to field experienced players in the middle, making two changes -- Delton Fernandes and Kapil Hoble.
FC Goa attacked from the word go. They had numbers upfront and had the first corner in the first minute itself. Sarineo Fernandes whipped in a floater in the box, which was headed in by Lalhmangaihsanga but his effort narrowly missed the side post.
The Young Gaurs weren’t ready to slow down as they kept on pressing in search of the goal. They earned a free-kick in the 12th minute outside the box. Sarineo sent in a cross in the box but the Dempo SC clearance fell to Brison Fernandes, whose volley was brilliantly saved by Melroy Fernandes. The ball took a touch of the keeper and hit the crossbar and came back into the play.
Dempo SC had their moment in the game. Ariston set up Kirtikesh Gadekar through and the youngster tried to find an unmarked Beevan D’Mello in the box. But before the striker could reach, Antonio Da Silva collected the ball to thwart the danger.
Minutes later Shallum Pires has an opportunity when a Dempo SC corner fell to him after taking a deflection of an FC Goa player. However, the Dempo defender’s poor left-footer saw his effort go wide.
FC Goa squandered a great opportunity to take the lead before the breather when Sarineo sprinted into the area with a fine run in the right flank and sent in a dangerous ball in the box for an unmarked Vasim, who missed a sitter with only the keeper as he headed over the bar from the five-yard box.
However, the U20 player made amends to his earlier miss when he was fed by Malsa Ralte in the box. Vasim dribbled past a Dempo defender and got in position before shooting past the keeper. This time Melroy couldn’t keep the ball out, who otherwise had an impressive first 45 minutes.
In the second half, the play was restricted to midfield for early stages. But FC Goa scored their second when Vasim darted into the box and squared the ball to an unmarked Lalremruata HP, who scored with a simple shot.
Dempo managed to pull a goal back through Darrel, who lose shot from outside the box ended in the top corner giving no chance for the FC Goa custodian.
In the final 10 minutes of the game, Dempo came one again close to scoring from a set-piece. Suraj Hadkonkar dipped in a free-kick at the far post for Edwin Viegas, but the lanky defender couldn’t direct his header in the frame.
