MAPUSA: Dempo Sports Club staged a remarkable comeback to register a hard fought 3-2 win over Salgaocar Football Club in the fourth-round match of the GFA’s Professional League, at Duler Stadium, here on Thursday.
Salgaocar led 2-0 at half time through Devendra Murgaonkar and Chaitan Komarpant but were left stunned after the second half as Dempo scored three goals through Joaquim Abranches, Pedro Gonsalves and Kirtikesh Gadekar to walk away with three points.
In a keen tussle as anticipated both teams were on the front foot from the kick-off pressing each other high-up the field and it nearly paid off when in the 5th minute a miscommunication between Dempo defender and keeper Agnelo in clearing the ball saw Salgaocar`s Devendra Murgaonkar pounce onto it, who took a step and was about to shoot but Nickson retrieved back quickly and pushed the ball out for a corner.
Dempo nearly took the lead through Alber Gonsalves whose strong header from a dangerous cross delivered into the goal area by Nickson was acrobatically stopped by Salgaocar keeper Nora Fernandes and before anyone could get on to the loose ball it was cleared away by defender Godfrey Mascarenhas.
Salgaocar got the opening goal in the 18th minute through a clinical finish by Devendra after being released by Ribhav Sardesai with an intelligent pass, 1-0.
Trailing by a goal, Dempo started showing more urgency but were let down by their strikers who failed to convert the chances created through Velito Cruz and Alber Gonsalves.
Salgoacar made them pay for the missed chances as they scored their second goal in the injury time when Sanson Pereira`s well taken corner-kick saw Chaitan Komorpant leap high and head the ball into the net, 2-0.
Crossing end, Salgaocar had two decent chances to kill off the match but Devendra and Sanson could not find the back of the net from close range.
Dempo finally managed to pull a goal back in the 73rd minute through Joaquim Abranches who finished off the move started by Pedro Gonsalves with a deft placement, 2-1.
Devendra nearly got his second goal for Salgaocar minutes later but was denied by an alert Dempo keeper Agnelo.
Dempo got the all-important equalising goal in the 80th minute when Kirtikesh Gadekar’s long ball inside the danger box saw substitute Beevan D’Mello glance his header in the path of Pedro Gonsalves who slammed the ball into the goal to set up an intriguing final ten minutes.
Pedro Gonsalves who was too eager to be the hero for Dempo in scoring the winning goal fluffed his lines at the crucial point from a low cross delivered by Joaquim Abranches.
However in the added time, Kirtikesh rasping shot hit the defender and surprisingly came back to him once again who connected it with a sweet volley that had no answer by the keeper to seal the match for Dempo and complete a remarkable comeback.
