After Goa Pro League, Knock-Out title in their kitty too!
TEAM HERALD
MAPUSA: Sporting Clube de Goa ended their season on a high, with an impressive 3-1 victory over Dempo Sports Club in the finals of GFA’s Knock-Out tournament at Duler Stadium, here, Thursday. Dempo led 1-0 at half time.
Young Romeo Fernandes gave Dempo the lead in the 32nd minute but Sporting Clube came back strongly in the second session. Liberian Boima Karpeh converted a penalty for the equalizer in the 72nd minute after Kalu Ogba’s spot-kick was blocked by Dempo custodian Subhasish Roy Chowdhury, two minutes earlier.
Then, the Nigerian Kalu made amends and put his team into the lead while substitute Beevan D’Mello sealed the crown with a 79th minute strike to give the Goa Pro League Champions their second title of the season.
Playing with two foreigners, Sporting Clube were always going to be dominant. The Flaming Oranje had a total of 10 shots on target with nine attempts going wide while their opponents had only two shots on target. Dempo looked aggressive in the initial stages but it was Kalu, who had a clear chance at the half hour mark only for Subhasish to leave him frustrated from close.
However, two minutes later, it was Dempo who took the lead as Romeo dribbled past Rovan Pereira and fired into the back of the nylons from inside the box as Sporting Clube keeper Ravi Kumar waved the ball goodbye.
Post resumption, Sporting Clube used all their substitutions which inflicted life into their side. Dempo defender Selwyn had made a crucial save at goalline by blocking Stephene Barreto’s effort but then, the center-back handled the ball inside the danger zone in the 70th minute. Everyone expected Kalu to score from the spot but instead, he was denied by India international Subhasish. Hardly two minutes passed and Selwyn did it yet again, handling the ball in the box when Boima tried to shoot. This time Boima stepped up for the spot-kick and kept his cool to make it 1-1.
Sporting Clube were spurred and soon, Kalu hammered in to put them ahead while Beevan did the same in the 79th minute.
Chief guest Elvis Gomes, GFA vice-president (South) and GFDC’s member secretary distributed the prizes in the presence of Lavinio Rebello, GFA vice-president (North) and GFA executive members Babli Mandrekar, Alirio Lobo, Welvin Menezes and Anthony Pango.
