Dempo SC edge past Samaleswari SC 2-1 to continue their winning start in IFL 2026-27
Richmond & Rane scored for the Golden Eagles in the away clash to seal the game
Dempo SC continued its winning start to the Indian Football League (IFL) 2026–27 campaign with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Samaleswari SC at the Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium in Rourkela on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Captain Richmond Kwasi Owusu opened the scoring in the 28th minute before Laximanrao Rane doubled Dempo’s advantage in the 58th minute.
However, youngster Kartik Choudhary brought Samaleswari back into the contest with a stunning long-range strike in the 82nd minute.
Playing in their all-orange kit in front of their home supporters, Samaleswari started the encounter on an aggressive note. Led by captain Jayesh Dilip Rane and Kiyam Amarjit Singh in midfield, the hosts relied on an attacking trio of Argentine forward Jorge Rolando Pereyra Diaz, Ishan Pandita and Roshan Panna.
A great first half for Dempo SC
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Samaleswari made several early incursions into the Dempo half, entering the opposition territory at least six to seven times within the opening 10 minutes.
The Dempo defensive unit comprising Uzziel Yaw Asomaning Budu, Athul Unnikrishnan and Pruthvesh Pednekar was kept busy throughout the opening quarter. However, the hosts struggled to produce the finishing touch in the final third.
Against the run of play, Dempo broke the deadlock in the 28th minute through their skipper Richmond Owusu. The Ghanaian forward showed great awareness to intercept a long ball, get past his marker Shahid Nazir and calmly slot the ball past Samaleswari goalkeeper Aaryan Anjaneya to hand the Golden Eagles the lead.
The opening goal proved to be a setback for Samaleswari, who had started the game brightly. Dempo gradually grew into the contest following the breakthrough, enjoying a sustained spell of possession and carrying their one-goal advantage into the half-time break.
Kartik Choudhary’s strike not enough at home as Dempo beat the Odisha outfit
The Golden Eagles carried their momentum into the second half, capitalising on a series of misplaced passes from the hosts to take control of proceedings. Dempo looked the better side after the restart and doubled their advantage in the 58th minute through Under-22 midfielder Laximanrao Rane.
Latching onto a long ball, Rane once again got the better of Shahid Nazir, dribbled past the defender and calmly slotted the ball beyond Aaryan Anjaneya. The goal left the Samaleswari defence, which also featured Ghanaian Jamal Arago, Basit Ahmed Bhat and Moroccan Mohammed El Jaaouani, struggling to contain the visitors.
Samaleswari continued to find it difficult to make their attacking moves count as the game progressed beyond the hour mark. Despite making several entries into the opposition’s attacking third, the hosts had managed just one shot on target.
With Brazilian forward Cledson Carvalho Dasilva and Owusu keeping the Samaleswari defence occupied, Dempo appeared comfortable with their two-goal cushion. The Goan side focused on retaining possession rather than pushing aggressively for a third goal as the match entered its final quarter.
However, just when the visitors seemed to have complete control of the proceedings, Samaleswari found a way back into the contest in the 82nd minute, courtesy of a moment of brilliance from Kartik Choudhary.
Spotting Dempo goalkeeper Subhajit Bhattacharjee slightly off his line from around 35 yards out, the youngster unleashed an audacious left-footed curling lob. The effort sailed over the goalkeeper and found the back of the net, sending the home supporters into celebration. It was arguably the best goal of the tournament so far.
The goal injected fresh energy into the Samaleswari players, who began throwing numbers forward in search of a dramatic equaliser during the closing stages. With six minutes of stoppage time added, the hosts continued to press for a late breakthrough.
The drama continued in the 90+5th minute when Samaleswari created their best opportunity of the match from a corner kick. The rebound fell invitingly in front of Moroccan defender Mohammed El Jaaouani inside the box, leaving him with a simple tap-in from close range. However, he failed to convert the opportunity, giving Dempo goalkeeper Subhajit Bhattacharjee a massive reprieve.
The final whistle followed shortly afterwards, confirming a hard-fought 2-1 victory for Dempo Sports Club. Despite Samaleswari’s spirited late comeback attempt, the Golden Eagles held their nerve to secure all three points on the road and maintain their winning start to the IFL 2026–27 season.
What was the result of the Dempo SC vs Samaleswari SC IFL 2026-27 match?
Dempo Sports Club defeated Samaleswari SC 2-1 in their IFL 2026-27 encounter on November 5, 2026.
Who scored for Dempo SC against Samaleswari SC?
Richmond Kwasi Owusu scored in the 28th minute, while Laximanrao Rane doubled Dempo’s lead in the 58th minute.
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