the goan I network
DULER
A brilliant two-goal blitz by Devendra Murgaonkar enabled Salgaocar Football Club to come from two goals down to hold Dempo Sports Club to a 2-2 draw in a Goa Professional League match played at Duler stadium, here
on Saturday.
Dempo coach Samir Naik started with the same squad that had won their last match by a big margin against Velsao, while at the other end, Salgaocar coach Levino Pereira made four changes -- goalkeeper S Rajini Kumar, Saeesh Halarnker, Godfrey Mascarenhas and U-20 player Shawn Pereira coming in after their last league match defeat to Sporting Clube de Goa.
The Golden Eagles went into the breather with a goal from the boots of Jessel Carneiro. On crossing ends, Joaquim Abranches doubled the lead for Dempo, while Devendra Murgaonkar netted a brace to help the Greens equalise.
Dempo dominated in the first session, where in the 11th minute, Jessel Carneiro collected a pass from Naveen Mendes and covered some ground to latch on a 30-yard power-packed right-footer which crashed into the far corner of the Salgaocar goal, 1-0.
Dempo had two more good attempts at the rival goal but a scorching right-footer by Velito Cruz from the right flank, on entering inside the penalty box, travelled just over the rival goal post. At the stroke of 45th minute, Salgaocar keeper S Rajini Kumar left his charge and tackled Beevan D’Mello outside the penalty box on the right flank. From the resultant free-kick, Jessel’s stinging curling strike went over the horizontal bar.
In the absence of their skipper Mackroy Peixoto in the midfield, the Green Brigade had just one good look at the rival goal but Devendra Murgaonkar was late to connect Ronaldo’s cross at the first post. Just four minutes into the second session, the Golden Eagles doubled their lead. Jessel Carneiro moved dangerously inside the penalty box from the left flank and drilled a low shot at the goal which beat the entire defence and the Salgaocar keeper Rajini to find an overlapping Joaquim Abranches who finished clinically, 2-0.
However in the 55th minute, Salgaocar colts managed to pull a goal back where Ronaldo Oliveira, snatching the ball from Desmon Pereira, darted inside the penalty box and unselfishly squared the ball to Devendra Murgaonkar, who gently tapped the ball into the unguarded
goal, 2-1.
Energised by the goal, the Green Brigade pinned their opponents inside their own territory and came with three close attempts for the equalizer. Samuel Costa’s 30-yard strike zoomed just over the crosspiece, while minutes later, Ronaldo danced past a host of Dempo defenders and drilled a shot at the goal which was brilliantly blocked by keeper Tyson Caiado.
The Green Brigade were indeed unlucky when in the 66th minute, the entire Dempo defence was beaten and the ball came to substitute Selwyn Miranda at the far post whose tap at the goal hit a defender and went out for a corner. After Dempo’s Velito’s placement was pushed to safety with a full-stretched diving save by keeper Rajini, at the other end Dempo keeper Tyson brought a breath-taking save to thwart Godfrey in one-to-one situation.
In the four minutes of added-on time, the Green Brigade finally tasted success when in the 93rd minute, a long cross by Samson Pereira at the far post was nodded into the goal by Devendra Murgaonkar, 2-2, to send their large group of supporters into raptures.
PLAYING TODAY
Goa Professional League: Goan FC vs Sporting Clube de Goa, Duler stadium, 4 pm
