MAPUSA: Dempo Sports Club came back strongly to get the better of Calangute Association Sports Club 3-1 in the GFA’s Pro League match, at Duler Stadium, Mapusa on Friday.
Dempo now have ten points from four matches while Calangute have two points from equal outings.
Sunny Fernandes gave Calangute Association a first half lead, however the Golden Eagles came back strongly in the second half and scored through Shallum Pires, Felix Chidi and Gabriel Fernandes.
Both the sides put up a brilliant display in the first session, keeping their fans on the edge of their seats.
Dempo almost took the lead when the match was just two minutes old, when Shallum Pires’ header off Hayden Fernandes cross was timely blocked by Yogesh Kadam on the goal line.
In a quick turn of events, it was Dempo who this time came with a goal line clearance through Hayden who did well to clear away Kunal Shirodkar’s effort at goal after beating the Dempo keeper.
Dempo’s Mario Mascarenhas sent a perfect ball to Shallum Pires right inside the heart of the Calangute citadel, but keeper Melroy Fernandes did well to get his hands to his strong header.
Calangute finally took the lead in the 21st minute when Valerio sent a defence splitting pass to Sunny Fernandes, who drilled in a low grounder past the helpless Dempo keeper Tyson Caido, 1-0.
Calangute came close to further increasing the tally in the 37th minute when Josley Dias did a splendid job in weaving his way past the Dempo defender only to shoot tamely at keeper Tyson.
On resumption of play, Dempo stepped up the tempo of the match where in the 52nd minute of play Joaquim Abranches saw his strike from close range hit the side post and move towards Anthony D’Souza who further sent the ball to Felix Chidi, however the Nigerian’s strike hit the Calangute defender and went out for a corner.
In the 68th minute, Dempo keeper Tyson did a fine job to push away Yogesh Kadam’s fierce right footer.
Calangute’s Salim Mohammad came with several threatening moves but was unlucky in the scoring act as first his goalbound effort from outside the box struck the legs of the defender and rolled out of play and then his placing shot was timely collected by keeper Tyson.
With Calangute doing most of the attacking, Dempo managed to get their acts together and came with the equaliser in the 76th minute when Nickson Castanha sent his free-kick towards Shallum Pires who nodded the ball home, 1-1.
The goal seemed to lift the spirits of the Golden Eagles who further went to net in two more goals in the closing stages of the match.
In the 84th minute their new signing Anthony D’Souza sent a vicious cross into the Calangute danger zone which was fired home by well positioned Felix Chiddi, 2-1.
Four minutes later, Dempo made the issue safe for themselves when goal scorer Felix Chiddi set up Gabriel Fernandes –who made no mistake to guide the ball into the Calangute nets, 3-1.
