Lucky ARA FC walk away with a point against Dempo SC

Ravish Narvekar

With this shared points, the Gujarati outfits sit at the top of the Group D with eight points from four matches, while the Goan side are placed second with five points from three outings.

Dominant Dempo Sports Club failed to convert their chances as Gujarat giants ARA FC held them to a goalless draw in the Hero I-League 2 2022-23 match played at Dempo Football Academy Ground on Wednesday evening.

Necio Fernandes made the first start for the Golden Eagles in the Second Division, while Serineo Fernandes was back in the starting XI after missing out against Hyderabad FC which ended in a goalless draw. On the other hand, ARA coach Vivek Nagul made numerous changes to his side which held Ambernath United Atlanta FC in the last match as Surajit Seal, Hijam Singh, Shanid Valan, Sheltohn Paul, Pratik Swami and Jenishsinh Rana found their names in the playing XI of the Gujarati side.

After a midfield play in the first few minutes, it was the travelling side who came first with the potent attack in the 9th minute when Paul sent a perfect cross to their skipper Naro Shrestha but the lad saw his header missed the target by a whisker. Dempo replied with a quick attack from the right flank where Darell Mascarenhas danced past a few opponents and tried to find his teammate Beneston Barretto in the box but ARA defender Valan made a timely interception at the cost of a corner.

The once again came close to opening the tally in the 19th minute as once again Darell brilliantly moved at the right flank and found Necio in the box. The midfielder cut past a rival defender and shoot at the goal but the ball went into the waiting hands of rival keeper Sangramjit Chowdhury. Another opportunity went into vain for the Golden Eagles within the next five minutes as this time Necio fed Mohamed Ali from the corner but the tall Dempo defender failed to keep his header on target.

The Golden Eagles wasted a golden opportunity in the 35th minute when a deflected pass off an opponent set up Beneston with just a rival keeper, but the Dempo forward could not beat the onrushing keeper. Another opportunity came to the Host in the added minutes of the session when GOurav sent a through pass to Beneston who just had a rival keeper at his stake but the custodian Chowdhury came off his line and cleared the danger in a one-on-one situation.

On crossing over, ARA's Hijam should have taken his side into the lead in the 50th minute when Paul made a low cross to the unmarked midfielder in the box but his goalbound strike was nicely fisted by Dempo keeper Dylan Da Silva. At the other end, Dempo's Necio was unlucky not to find the net in the very next minute. after receiving a short pass from Gourav, the attacking midfielder went for glory where his fierce strike first kissed the rival keeper's gloves and rebound off the top right corner.

Dempo once again breached ARA's last line as Beneston comfortably beat a rival defender in the box and tried to find Necio with a chip shot but the lad could not reach with an empty net in front of him. A few minutes later, Beneston was in the action again as this time Gourav sent a pass to him in the box whose shot was brilliantly fisted over the frame by rival keeper Chowdhury.

The Visitors wasted another opportunity in the 67th minute when their Paul easily dribbled Dempo right back Brian Faria and found substitute forward Manvir Singh in the box but he failed to keep his tap on the frame from inside the 6-yard box. A minute later, Manvir came with a pinpoint assist to Naro in the box but the ARA skipper also shoot over the crossbar from close.

As the match progressed, the hosts were seen with more attacks but superb defending from opponents denied Beneston on a couple of occasions. Dempo were once again unlucky in the 83rd minute as a well-taken corner by just-in Suraj Hadkonkar was headed by Brian but the lad saw it denied by the frame. At the other end, ARA were awarded a freekick just outside the box where their skipper tried his luck from the set piece but his goalbound strike was brilliantly pushed away by Dempo keeper Dylan.