Odafe rescues Churchill Bros with late goal

Odafe rescues Churchill Bros with late goal
Churchill 1 Dempo 1
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
MARGAO, DEC 4
An 86th minute Odafe Okolie goal helped Churchill Brothers snatch a point against defending champions, Dempo Sports Club and share points after a 1-1 draw in the first round match of All-India Football Federation’s 4th I-League at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Saturday. Both goals came in the second half.
The encounter between Goa’s most prominent teams inspired football lovers to turn up in large numbers. However, the teams approach did not go well with the fans. The derby turned out to be a disappointing fare.
Churchill Brothers nearly broke the deadlock in the 15th minute, as Lenny Rodrigues picked up a loose ball from the Dempo half and unleashed a stiff shot which was, however, thwarted by Dempo keeper, Laxmikant Kattimani, diving to the right.
Dempo looked pale in contrast to Churchill Brothers and could not come up with anything creative even tough international striker Joaquim Abranches thunderously unleashed a grounder, which was taken care of by Churchill’s keeper, Lalit Thapa.
The Dempo defence was caught napping in the 18th minute, when their midfielder Ogba Kalu mispass went to Odafe Okolie, who outwitted a couple of Dempo defenders, but shot wide from hand-shaking distance.
Crossing over, Churchill Brothers’ famed marksmen, Odafe Okolie was the worst culprit  as he missed two gilt-edged opportunities. First, Dempo stopper-back, John Dias’ defensive blunder saw Odafe Okolie blowing away the easiest of chances and later another blunder by Debarata Roy inside their penalty box saw Odafe dodging past a couple of rival defendersm but he messed it up, with only the rival keeper at his mercy, as  he ballooned over from close range.
With the introduction of Godwin Franco on the waist line, Dempo added more teeth to the ineffective half line, as he kept his forwards busy with a stream of passes.
Dempo shot into the lead in the 61st minute through substitute Cliffton Gonsalves. The move was initiated by Godwin Franco on the right, who chipped the ball to Peter Carvalho who beat his marker Lenny Rodrigues and headed towards Cliffton and the last named, without wasting time slotted the ball to the right of Churchill’s keeper, Thapa.
Spurred by success, Dempo piled on pressure and nearly doubled the lead, but Godwin Franco’s smart header missed the target narrowly.
The Dempo defence was caught napping in the 86th minute, after Churchill’s Binesh Balan beat his marker John Dias and essayed an easy through pass to Odafe, who got the better of his marker to place the ball to the left of Dempo keeper, Kattimani. John Dias and Domnic Noronha looked vulnerable all through the match.
Cliffton Gonsalves of Dempo was adjudged man-of-the-match.