Team Herald
MAPUSA: Dempo Sports Club held Churchill Bros to a goalless draw to split points in the eighth round match of the Goa Professional league organised by GFA, at Duler Stadium, here on Sunday.
Both the teams needing a win to catch up with table toppers Goan FC, entertained the Sunday crowd with some lively attacking display but just could not find the match-winning goal and had to settle for a point each meaning Dempo SC moved to 14 points from eight matches while Churchill Brothers have 13 points from seven matches.
Churchill Bros who looked more threatening than their opponents in the initial phase of the first half had two chances to break the deadlock. first, U-20 Cavin Soares shot missed the post by inches and then in the 28th minute Nicholas Fernandes well measured cross found U-20 Cyrus Noronha but before he could pull the trigger, Dempo defender Naveen Mendes cleared the ball out for a corner.
Dempo SC responded strongly and in the 31st minute Jessel Carneiro’s power-packed 25-yard shot hit the defender’s leg and went out for a corner and five minutes later Jessel was denied by the Churchill keeper Kunzang Bhutia with a smart save after being teed up Joaquim Abranches who was leading the attack in the absence of Beevan D’Mello
Crossing over, Red Machine coach Norbert Gonsalves looking for a win brought in Cheterpaul Lyngdoh and Uttam Rai and the move almost paid off in the 53rd minute when Chesterpaul’s shot from inside the box was kicked for a corner by the alert Dempo defender Matthew Gonsalves.
Dempo SC keeper Tyson Caido then rose to the occasion to keep his team into the match denying newly recruit Anthony Wolfe from Trinidad & Tobago who was playing his first match and Gilbert Oliveira from finding the net in the 60th and 66th minutes.
Anthony Wolfe should have had his first goal for Churchill Bros in the 71st minute but his placement from close range hit the crossbar from an intelligent cross by Nicholas Fernandes.
Dempo SC almost sneaked in the winner in added time but substitute Pedro Gonsalves could not direct his header goalward from an inch perfect cross by Joaquim Abranches to the huge relief of the Churchill Bros players.
