Dempo blank Sporting Goa in GPL’s Capital City derby

The Golden Eagles became league leaders with six points from two matches.

Joaquim Abranches scored the brace to help Dempo Sports Club to ease past defending champions Sporting Clube de Goa by a comfortable 3-0 margin in the Goa Professional League match played at Duler Stadium earlier on Saturday.

It was a match between two heavyweights of the Goan football where Sporting who had edged past Velsao SCC in the last match had two changes as their coach Mateus Costa gave the start to Clemente Joseph and Gautam Dias, whereas, Dempo gaffer Samir Naik also made few changes to his side which hammered Bardez FC in the last match as keeper Tyson Caiado, striker Joaquim Abranches and U-20 defender Clive Colaco made into the cut.  

After an end-to-end play in the first quarter, Dempo came with the first potent attack in the 18th minutes when their winger Jessel Carneiro brilliantly curled the ball to Abranches in the box but Sporting keeper Melroy Fernandes came off the line to block the forward in a one-on-one situation.

A few minutes later, Jessel brilliantly dribbled past a defender and chipped the ball above onrushing keeper Melroy but defender Brandon Gomes cleared it off the goal line to keep his side safe.

At the other end, Sporting skipper Victorino Fernandes tried his luck from distance with a powerful strike but Dempo shot stopper Tyson dived to his left to deny the striker from scoring. Victorino had the best chance to put his side ahead in the very next minutes when he easily cut past Dempo veteran defender Mathew Gonsalves in the box but keeper Tyson quickly took charge of the ball with a diving effort.

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Just before the halftime, Dempo had another opportunity when Jessel once again curled the ball to find Beevan D’Mello in the box but Sporting keeper Melroy made a timely interception to clear the danger.   

Dempo came out stronger in the second session and scored two quick goals in the first 10 minutes as first Jessel’s curling freekick from the edge of the box was brilliantly headed in by Abranches to make it 1-0 for the Golden Eagles.

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Last season’s runners-up doubled their tally in the 55th minutes as this time Abranches came with a fine low cross in the box to onrushing Beevan whose shot entered the top right making it 2-0.

The Golden Eagles further extended their lead in the 68th minutes when Beevan made a perfect through pass to Abranches who covered some ground dribbling past Sporting defender Peter Carvalho and shot past keeper Melroy from inside the box to confirm all three points from the match.