MAPUSA: A 90th minute strike by Aslon Oliveira helped Salgaocar Football Club to hold Dempo Sports Club to a 1-1 draw in the rescheduled Round Seven match of the Goa Pro League, at Duler Stadium, here on Tuesday.
With today’s win Salgaocar FC are on the third spot of the league table with 18 points while Dempo SC are in the fourth position with 16 points.
Both the goals came in the second session of play with the hardworking Beavan D’Mello putting Dempo SC into the lead only to see Aslon level terms for The Green Brigade.
A miss pass by Beevan could prove to be very costly for Dempo SC but Jason Barboza latched onto the ball and blasted over with only the keeper at his mercy.
Salgaocar FC came teasingly close to scoring in the 32nd minute when Martin received the ball from Brian Mascarenhas’ free-kick from the right flank and set the ball on platter to Myron Borges only to see the latter delay in connecting the ball home from close range.
At the other end, Nickson on getting hold of the ball covered a few yards and sent a pinpoint cross to Uttam Rai, whose header sailed over the Salgaocar FC goal.
In the final moments of the first half, Dempo SC almost broke the deadlock when Uttam Rai’s powerful strike from top of the 18-yard box was acrobatically blocked by the Salgaocar FC keeper only to see the ball roll towards Beevan, whose effort was once again blocked through a daring save by the keeper.
Crossing over, the sides continued in their quest to find the goal where in the 46th minute, Calvin saw his brilliant effort hit the Dempo SC upright.
Minutes later, substitute Alesh Sawant made a threatening run into Dempo SCcitadel only to blast the ball wide from close quarters.
Dempo SC were denied in the 72nd minute as Aniston Fernandes’ strike from outside the box kissed the crossbar.
A minute later, Dempo SC broke the deadlock as Steven Fernandes accurately set up Beevan D’Mello whose side footed strike landed in the far corner of the Salgaocar FC goal.
Despite conceding, Salgaocar FC refused to throw up their hands and kept up the pressure and were rightly rewarded in the final minute of the regulation time when Aslon on collecting the ball off a throw-in, weaved his way past the Dempo SC defenders and drilled home a rasping strike which caught the keeper on the wrong foot to make it 1-1 and earn his team a crucial point.
