Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Pune FC stole the limelight by hammering Dempo Sports Club 4-1 in the glittering All India Bandodkar Gold Trophy organized by Goa Football Association, at Duler Stadium, here, on Tuesday.
The visitors played their hearts out and excelled in the 90 minutes of duel giving the Dempo SC lads very little space to create any threatening moves.
In the very 2nd minute of play, Omega Vanlalhruaitluanga got into the offensive when he got hold of the ball from Bhunthalun Samte and drilled in a low grounder which missed the target by a whisker.
After several failed efforts, the Pune FC outfit took the much deserved lead in the 14th minute of play when their ever reliable skipper Mohd Yasir fired in a long range effort which dipped to the far corner of the nets to silence the large number of Dempo SC supporters, 1-0.
Buoyed by the lead, Pune FC got all the more ferocious in their attack, where in the 21st minute, their lethal striker Ashique Kuruniyan charged down the left flank only to see his powerful strike go inches past the Dempo SC goal.
Two minutes later, Dempo SC keeper Ozen Silva failed to hold onto Ashique’s shot but luckily the defender managed to push away the ball which travelled to Omega, whose shot from inside the penalty area was pushed away by keeper Ozen.
The only real chance that the Azuri’s had in the first session of play was in the 24th minute of play when they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box. However, to the crowd’s dismay Hayden Fernandes shot wide.
At the other end, the Red Lizards further went on to inflate the lead when Lalawmpuia Opia’s 25-yard shot crashed into the Dempo SC nets, 2-0.
Crossing over, Pune FC were quick to get into the scoring act when Rajat Kumar sent a long floater to Ashique who charged into the Dempo SC citadel before scoring through a fine placement which beat the Dempo SC keeper hands down, 3-0.
In the next minute itself, Dempo SC came close to reducing the margin, but Josley Dias blistering shot banged the Pune FC woodwork.
Dempo SC had themselves to blame for the huge loss, as in the 62nd minute Jayson D’Souza brought an unwarranted challenge on Pune FC’s Lalawmpuia Opia thereby prompting Referee Parmanand Mandrekar to point to the dreaded spot. Sahil Panwar made no mistake in converting, taking the score tally to 4-0.
Dempo SC managed to reduce the margin in the 74th minute through a highly debated goal, with substitute Latesh Mandrekar scoring from a free-kick, 1-4.
With eight minutes to go for the final whistle Pune FC were reduced to 10-man when Sahil Panwar was given marching orders after receiving his second yellow card.
In the dying minutes of injury time, Dempo SC too went down by a man when Jayson D’Souza was sent off with double booking.
Ashique Kuruniyan received the Man-of-the-Match award of Rs 5000 from Mrs Jyoti Bandekar and Sameer Kakodkar.
Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, alongwith other dignitaries gave away the prizes where the winners received a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh plus the Bandodkar Trophy while the runners-up had to be content with Rs 75,000 plus trophy.
Duler Stadium
gets floodlights
Meanwhile, the newly installed outdoor sports arena lighting and floodlights at the Duler Stadium, Mapusa was inaugurated on Tuesday by Deputy Chief Minister Francisco D’Souza in the distinguished presence of MLAs of Aldona Glen Souza Ticlo, Tivim Kiran Kandolkar, Sandeep Falari, chairperson, Mapusa Municipal Council; Marlene De Souza, vice-chairperson, Mapusa Municipal Council; Sudhir Kandolkar, vice-chairperson, GSUDA; Jagdish Hosamani, chief project officer, GSUDA; Clen Madeira, chief officer, Mapusa Muncipal Council, other dignitaries and invitees.
Elvis Gomes, member secretary, GSUDA and president of Goa Football Association took the lead in upgrading the existing infrastructure for the benefit of sports players in the State.
Also present on the occasion were Sameer Kakodkar of the illustrious Bandodkar family, former captains and players who were part of the Bandodkar tournaments in the past, GFA officials and football fans.
The floodlights facility will now allow for a lot more evening matches and the synthetic turf is ideally suited for evening matches when the temperatures are cooler.
