FC Bardez down Dempo in five-goal thriller

The Golden Eagles wasted a chance to go to the top of the table.

Chatur Naik came off the bench to help FC Bardez register a hard-fought 3-2 win over Dempo Sports Club in the Goa Professional League match played under floodlights at Duler Stadium earlier in the evening.

With this all three points, Bardez moved to 4th in the league table with 10 points from six outings, while, Dempo wasted an easy chance to top the table as dropped two points forced them to stick to 2nd position with 12 points after the conclusion of the sixth round.

Dempo coach Samir Naik once again fielded the same starting XI which earned him four wins in the last five matches. Their only defeat was against Sporting Clube de Goa, while they had trounced Panjim Footballers in the last match. On the hand, Bardez who had put up brilliant show in the last match against Sporting as they came from three goals down to hold the Flaming Orange, were seen with few changes to their lineup as Neville Albuquerque, Micky Vaz and Lalbabu Mahto made into the cut.

Dempo created the first attack in the 4th minutes when Nestor Dias made a dangerous run on the wing and found Kapil Hoble with a fine cross from the deep right flank but the midfielder saw his header just go over the crossbar. A few minutes later, Beevan D’Mello shot missed the target by a whisker.

At the other end, Clinton Niasso has the best chance to take Bardez into the lead when he found himself with just keeper to beat in the box but Dempo custodian brilliantly blocked striker’s powerful strike. Whereas Bardez keeper Aliston Fernandes was also tested by Latesh Mandrekar in the 30th minutes when he fired a fierce shot on the goal but Bardez custodian made an excellent save.

The Golden eagles finally took the lead in the 45th minutes when Beevan’s corner was nicely assisted to  Mario Mascarenhas in the box by Nestor Dias, who brilliantly tap the ball in between the defenders and keeper making it 1-0 for Dempo at the halftime.

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Bardez came stronger in the second half and found the equaliser in the 54th minutes when Clinton Niasso made a cross to substitute Chatur Naik in the box whose shot was brilliantly cleared off the goalline by Dempo defender Nickson Castana but Inacio Colaco headed in the loose ball from close to put his side on the level.

Ten minutes later, substitute Joaquim Abranches had the best chance to take Dempo once again into the lead when Kapil’s perfect cross found the striker in the goalmouth but he shot wide.

The Golden Eagles had to pay for wasting an easy chance as Bardez’s Clinton put his side ahead when he blasted it from inside the box after Shubham fed him with a brilliant header to Dawson Fernandes’ long-distance free-kick.

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When it was looking like, the Pink  Brigade will take all three points home Substitute Jaison Vaz scored for Dempo with a brilliant header off Shallum Pires’ cross from the left in the added time to make it all square for his side.

However, Chatur scored in the last minutes after Dempo keeper fumbled with the ball collecting Kirtikesh’s low cross, taking advantage of the same Inacio set up striker with a short pass, who made no mistake to put the ball home making it 3-2 for Bardez.