PANAJI
Dempo SC battled with tremendous heart but were made to pay for missed opportunities as Diamond Harbour FC claimed a 2-1 victory in a hard-fought encounter. Dempo matched their opponents in large spells but a lack of clinical finishing at crucial moments ultimately cost them.
Diamond Harbour set the tone early, gradually wrestling control of possession and pushing Dempo deeper into their own half. The hosts grew increasingly dangerous through a flurry of corners, but Dempo goalkeeper Ashish Sibi was an immovable presence, commanding his area with authority and denying everything Diamond Harbour threw at him.
Dempo's best opening fell to Marcus Joseph, who found himself perfectly placed after Sebastian Gutierrez threaded a sublime ball through the Diamond Harbour defence but the striker sent his effort over the crossbar when a goal seemed certain. It proved a costly miss. Despite Dempo's resolute defending, Diamond Harbour snatched the lead in the 45+3rd minute to take a slender advantage into the break.
Dempo re-emerged with fresh determination and were rewarded when Marcus Joseph made brilliant amends latching onto an open goal opportunity and finishing decisively past Dheeraj Singh in the 55th minute to draw level. Within moments, Pruthvesh Pednekar threatened to turn the contest entirely, only for Singh to produce a superb one-handed stop to keep the scores level.
Diamond Harbour, undeterred struck again in the 69th minute to restore their lead and Dempo found themselves chasing once more. Joseph came agonisingly close, crashing an effort off the crossbar before Saiesh Bagkar pounced on the rebound but his header lacked the venom to beat Singh. Joseph tested the Diamond Harbour custodian once more late on, only to see his effort comfortably gathered. Despite wave after wave of pressure in the closing stages, Dempo SC could not find the goal their efforts deserved. A valiant display, but three points that slipped away.
