TEAM HERALD
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MAPUSA: Dempo Sports Club rode on Areski Sudarji’s 45th minute strike to register a solitary goal victory over Sporting Clube de Goa in a GFA under-18 Ilhas Zone play-off final at Duler Stadium, here, Friday. There was no score at half time.
The teams started on a positive note but could not build up promising moves as the play was restricted in the midfield.
Dempo captain Deryl Endro’s 10th minute long ranger missed the mark narrowly.
At the other end, Sporting’s best chance was Avrhishto Fernandes’ powerful free-kick which, however, sailed inches over.
Subsequently, at the half hour mark, Sporting’s Pandurang Gotlekar sent in an intelligent long ball to striker Agnelo Fernandes but the latter shot wide with only Dempo goalkeeper Frazer Afonso at his mercy.
Post resumption, Dempo broke the deadlock in the 45th minute after Quan Gomes’ rasping free-kick was too hot for Sporting goalkeeper Rahul Yadav, who fumbled in his collection as the ball fell back in the path of Areski Sudarji, who slotted home from hand-shaking distance.
Stunned by the setback, Sporting went all-out in search of the equalizer but Aahan Philiphs and Akeeraj Martins squandered golden opportunities inside the rival territory.
