Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Sporting Clube de Goa came from a one goal deficit to score a 2-1 win over archrivals Dempo Sports Club in the 15th round of the Goa Pro League played at Duler Stadium, here, on Friday.
Their first leg encounter also ended in similar fashion where Sporting Clube registered a 2-1 win.
With today’s match Sporting Clube go to 32 points while Dempo SC stay at 19 points.
All the goals happened in the first session of play with Beevan D’Mello putting into the lead in the 10th minute only to see Ganesh Thakur not only level terms in the 30th minute but also come with the match winner in the 42nd minute of play.
The match as expected was keenly fought by either sides but it was Sporting Clube who held onto the lead till the very end.
The Azzuris could have taken the match in their favour in the very first minute itself but stopper back Franzil Negredo came with a timely clearance to keep away Beevan D’Mello’s effort from close quarters.
However, no one could stop Beevan in the 10th minute of play when on collecting the ball from Steven Fernandes drilled in a low grounder which beat the entire Sporting Clube defence alongwith their keeper 1-0.
Beevan, who posed a constant threat to the Flaming Oranje outfit should have double the lead in the 22nd minute but wing back Matthew Gonsalves came with a timely clearance to thwart the striker from scoring.
After several missed chances, Sporting Clube found the precious equaliser in the 30th minute when Jovel Martins made a brilliant run down the left flank and set up Akiraj Martins, who rolled the ball towards unmarked Ganesh Thakur, who coolly tapped the ball home, 1-1.
Dempo SC almost shot back into the lead within four minutes but Hayden Fernandes was unlucky as his rasping 25-yard right footer ricocheted off the top side post.
While Dempo SC attacked, it was Sporting Clube, who took the lead in the 42nd minute of the match when Nigerian import Odafa Okolie set up Ganesh Thakur, who fired in his brace by slotting home the ball past the helpless keeper, 2-1.
On resumption of play, Sporting Clube seemed happy with just holding ball possession and frustrating the efforts made by The Golden Eagles.
Beevan tried to weave in some more magic into the match but failed to get past Sporting Clube keeper Kamaljit Singh.
In the final quarter of the match, Sporting Clube came teasingly close to further inflate the score and had it not been for some fine defending and goalkeeping by the Dempo SC, the score tally would have read much differently.
In the injury time, Dempo SC were reduced to 10-man as Shallum Pires was sent off by referee Chandrasekhar Shirodkar for double booking.
