Dempo inch closer to title
Mohun Bagan…1 Dempo SC…4
PTI
KOLKATA, APRIL 28
Dempo Sports Club made a spectacular second half comeback to demolish Mohun Bagan 4-1 in a round 23 I-League match at Yuba Bharati Krirangan here today.
The win meant Dempo, who now have 47 points from 23 matches, are tantalisingly close to their fourth title in the national championship.
In two contrasting performances, Mohun Bagan dominated the first-half with a NS Manju strike early in the seventh minute as the leaders looked out of sorts, both in the mid-field and forward.
But the Goans turned the table in a scintillating fashion after the breather and pumped in four goals in a space of 20 minutes to shatter Mohun Bagan’s hopes.
Man-of-the-Match Beto scored two goals (47th, 64th), while Ranti Martins (54th) and Joaquim Abranches (60th) found the net once to complete the humiliation for the home team.
Dempo goalkeeper Abhijit Mondal stood tall in front of the bar in the first half.
India international Manju helped Mohun Bagan go 1-0 up in a splendid fashion when he scored from a Marcos Pereira corner early on.
All charged-up, Mohun Bagan got a fine opportunity in the 20th minute when Chidi beat the Dempo defence and took the shot which was deflected out by custodian Mondal.
Dempo almost equalised through Anthony Pereira in the 25th minute when Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Shilton Paul found himself out of place but a well anticipated Deepak got himself on line of the ball to avert the goal.
But after the change of ends, the Armando Colaco-coached side looked regrouped with Brazilian striker Beto bringing them back into the match with the equaliser in the 47th minute.
Against the run of the mill, an unmarked Beto headed the ball home from a Samir Naik corner to level the scoreline.
Dempo intensified their attack with a spirited Abranches on the midfield as they quickly went ahead seven minutes later.
Ranti made a brilliant finish from an Abranches pass with a superb right-footer.
Six minutes later, Abranches scored from a Climax Lawrence corner to make it 3-1 for Dempo.
Beto added salt to Bagan’s injury, scoring his second and Dempo’s fourth of the match in the 64th minute to seal the match in his side’s favour.
Dempo inch closer to title
KOLKATA, APRIL 28 Dempo Sports Club made a spectacular second half comeback to demolish Mohun Bagan 4-1 in a round 23 I-League match at Yuba Bharati Krirangan here today. The win meant Dempo, who now have 47 points from 23 matches, are tantalisingly close to their fourth title in the national championship.
