MAPUSA, MAY 7
Sporting Clube de Goa recorded a convincing 3-0 win over Dempo Sports Club in the opening match of U-19 I-League tournament at Duler stadium, here on Friday. At the breather, Sporting led by a solitary goal.
The two goals scored from free kicks allowed Sporting to march ahead.
Sporting went into the game with seven new players, five Sesa graduates and two Goa Velha players, who have impressed in the Taca Goa U-20 league.
Sporting took some time to settle down but soon found their rhythm with Mackroy Peixoto and Pritam Ningthougam demonstrating neat passes while Dempo struggled to get into their usual attacking mode.
Pritam opened the scoring in the 38th minute for Sporting after he cleverly managed to hang in the air and head the ball over the advancing Dempo custodian Guendolen Vaz, from a free kick which floated in from the left side.
Seven minutes after the lemon break, Valerio Rodrigues doubled the lead for Sporting, as his 25-yard free kick curled over the Dempo wall and landed into the bottom of the net, leaving the goalkeeper no chance to save.
In the 78th minute, Stephene Barretto dribbled past two defenders outside the 18-yard box and hit a rocket into the top right hand corner of the net.
Dempo substitute Terence Fernandes came close to scoring when he rattled the cross bar in the dying minutes.
