Dempo fight back, edge past Pune
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
MARGAO, JAN 16
Man-of-the match Brazilian playmaker Roberto Mendes da Silva inspired Dempo Sports Club to a morale-boosting 2-1 win over Pune Football Club in a 9th round match of I-League at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, here on Sunday. Dempo were trailing 0-1 at the breather.
Both teams started on an aggressive note and it was Dempo who had a scoring opportunity in the 11th minute when Clifton Gonsalves outpaced rival defenders and also beat rival goalkeeper Balaji Narasimhan but his goal-bound try was saved by Pune defender Selwyn Fernandes on the goalline.
The miss proved costly as Pune took the lead in the 16th when striker Keita Mandjou unleashed a snap shot which beat advancing Dempo goalkeeper Laximikant Kattimani off a pass from midfielder Krishnan Nair Ajayan.
Pune could have doubled the lead in the 25th thanks to Dempo central defender John Dias’ sloppy defending. The ball rolled to striker Keita with only Dempo goalkeeper Kattimani to beat but Keita ballooned it over.
Dempo were a pale shadow of themselves. They were off-colour, unable to strike a rhythm. Pune nearly found more success but striker Keita squandered an easy scoring chance with only the rival goalkeeper at his mercy as he blasted wide after being fed by Ajayan inside the rival box in the 35th minute.
In the last 15 minute of the opening session, Dempo came back strongly but striker Ranty Martins who was in an ideal position delayed in cracking at the goal and the ball deflected from a rival defender’s leg to substitute Joe Rodrigues whose shot deflected from a rival defender and went out.
Striker Ranty Martins spurn an easy chance sending the ball wide from five yards out after he was fed by Debabarata Roy. Later, Roberto’s well executed free kick was fisted away by the Pune goalkeeper.
Dempo put up a much better performance after the break. They nearly found the equaliser but Pune goalkeeper Balaji fisted away the shot and Clifton shot wide from handshaking distance the rebound.
At the other end, Dempo’s citadel had a narrow escape in the 57th minute as striker Keita unleashed a stiff shot but Dempo goalkeeper Kattimani came to his side’s rescue.
Dempo were unlucky in the 65th minute. Following a flag kick taken by Debarata Roy, substitute Rouhollah Samiena backheeled but his try was thwarted by Gurjinder Kumar on the goalline after goalkeeper Balaji was beaten.
Dempo equalised in the 76th minute when captain Ranty’s glancing header off Roberto beat Pune goalkeeper Balaji.
A charged up Dempo mounted pressure thereafter and their hard work was rewarded in the 84th minute through a penalty. Ranty, who moved from the flank after receiving a through pass from Roberto was brought down by goalkeeper Balaji inside the penalty box prompting referee Deepak Singh to award the penalty. Roberto had no difficulty in converting the spot kick to give Dempo three valuable points.
Dempo were unlucky at the stoke of full time when Roberto’s smart header kissed the crossbar and off the rebound substitute Micky Fernandes headed it out.
Meanwhile, the Pune Football Club boss was involved in a heated argument with Match Commissioner Goutam Kar questioning the wisdom in awarding the penalty. Later he along with others hurled abuses at the supervising officials. There was a security lapse on the part of GFA Local Organizing Committee as the Pune boss alongwith the others entered the ground and were involved in a heated argument with the referee. There was no one from GFA to escort the referee.
Pune coach Derick Pereira was happy with his team’s performance but said that poor refereeing had played its part in the team’s loss. Pereira said: “I never comment on the referee’s decisions but the referee denied us two legitimate penalties.”
