Team Herald
MAPUSA: Sporting Clube de Goa scored a hard fought 1-0 win over Dempo Sports Club in the GFA Pro League match, at Duler Stadium, on Monday.
Victorino Fernandes scored the match-winner in the second-half injury time.
With Monday’s victory, Sporting have eight points from four matches while Dempo stay on ten points from six matches.
It was Sporting who called most of the shots in the first session, where in the 18th minute, Victorino after covering some yards on the right flank sent the ball across to Harshad Naik, who failed to keep his shot within the Dempo woodwork.
Minutes later, Quan Gomes set up unmarked Ganesh Thakur only to see the latter make a mess of things.
In the 26th minute, Victorino, who was in the helm of most of the Sporting moves, flashed a cross to Ganesh Thakur inside the danger zone, however Dempo defender Mohammad Ali managed to get hold of the ball in time before any damage could be done.
On resumption of play, Sporting’s striking woes continued, where in the 2nd minute itself Ganesh Thakur got the better of defender Shallum Pires and sent a defence splitting pass to Victorino who failed to guide the ball home.
The Dempo outfit finally woke up from their long slumber and initiated their first attack when Mario Mascarenhas sent the ball to Joaquim Abranches whose powerful grounder struck the legs of Clemente Joseph and rolled out of play.
Sporting Clube de Goa’skeeper Ravi Kumar came with a fine save when he fisted away Anthony D’Souza’s threatening cross before Mario Mascarenhas, who was lurking nearby, could get his head to the ball.
In the injury time of second-half, Dempo came close to scoring but Sporting’s Loveday Enyinnaya did well to cut off Mario Mascarenha’s move in the bud.
When it looked like the match was heading for a draw, Sporting turned around the fate of the match when Quan Gomes sent a pinpoint ball to Victorino who leapt high to nod the ball home, 1-0.
