TEAM HERALD
MAPUSA: Dempo Sports Club and Salgaocar Football Club played a goalless draw to finish third and fourth respectively in an Airtel Goa Super League football match at Duler Stadium, here, Monday.
The teams had their share of chances but their strikers lacked firepower. Dempo finish with 25 points while Salgaocar collected 23 points.
Australian U-23 Mathew Foschini made his debut for Salgaocar in the midfield and played alongside Jeevan Nalge. They controlled the early proceedings with good short passes and came close to open the scoring in the 18th minute but Foschini’s powerful close range header hit the crosspiece and went back in play off a Rayman Fernandes flag-kick.
The Green and Whites were unlucky yet again before the break when defender Augustin Fernandes’ header was tipped over by rival keeper Laxmikant Kattimani and came off the post.
At the other end, Dempo were kept on the back-foot for most of the proceedings. They had only one attempt on goal in the first session when Mandar Desai’s flag-kick found Peter Carvalho but the skipper’s header was cleared by a rival defender on goalline.
In the second half, Dempo head coach Arthur Papas brought in Gabriel Fernandes in place of U-20 Nickson Castanha while Myron Fernandes came on for Holicharan Narzary later on.
On the other hand, Salgaocar tactician Derrick Pereira used all his substitutes. Marcus Mascarenhas, Bali Gagandeep and Brian Mascarenhas came in place of Aslon Oliveira, Mathew and Rayman Fernandes respectively.
After a slow start the match sparked to life only in the final quarter when Bali set up Marcus inside the box but Dempo center-back Selwyn Fernandes came up with a timely block.
Soon, Dempo created a move of their own with Jewel Raja finding Mandar on the run but the latter’s close ranger was thwarted by Salgaocar custodian Felix D’Souza.
Dempo’s Simon Colosimo was adjudged man-of-the-match and received his prize from chief guest Clifford Chukwuma, technical advisor of Sesa FA.
