MARGAO: Former five-time champions Dempo Sports Club dished out some excellent football to trounce their city rivals Sporting Clube de Goa 3-0 in the third round Hero I-League match, at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, here, on Tuesday. Dempo led 1-0 at the breather.
Head coach Arthur Papas did well to produce a solid combined performance and garner full three points. Dempo took off an attacking mode and maintained the momentum right through the match.
With this win, Dempo have now collected five points from three matches while Sporting Clube de Goa, who lost their first match remained on one point from two outings.
Dempo scored through Lenny Rodrigues (28th), Allwyn George (50th) and Francis Fernandes (90th). Sporting Clube defender Joseph Clemente was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 47th minute.
Dempo fielded Alwyn George and Clifford Miranda in place of Mandar Rao Dessai and Holicharan Narzary while Sporting Clube brought in Pratesh Shirodkar and Sumeet Passi in place of Don Bosco and Joseph Pereira.
Clifford Miranda, on the half hour mark, saw his attempt boldly saved by goalkeeper Ravi Kumar but Dempo were not to be denied almost immediately as Costa Rican midfielder Carlos Hernandez released Lenny, who cut past Rojen Singh and Jovel Martins before sending his right-footer past Ravi Kumar from the edge of the box.
Anthony Wolfe was the lone ranger for Sporting Clube upfront. He went close twice in the opening session. At first he was thwarted by Calum Angus right inside the danger zone and some minutes later, when Wolfe tried to get past Angus his touch was too strong and he lost his balance before the ball rolled into the hands of goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani.
Sporting Clube were forced to throw in the towel early in the second session as Clemente Joseph was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 47th minute.
Down by a man, the numerical disadvantage was too much for Sporting Clube and then conceded the second goal in the 50th minute. Alwyn George collected a ball from Germanpreet Singh, then warded off his marker Rojen Singh and placed the ball past the goalkeeper.
In the next ten minutes, Alwyn could have completed his hat-trick but the former Pailan Arrows striker shockingly shot over the crossbar, twice, when he only had the goalkeeper to beat.
Francis made it 3-0 in the third minute of added time as his shot from top of the box entered the nets.
Hero-of-the-match award went to Dempo’s Lenny.
