Salgaocar FC stun defending champions Dempo SC in GPL cross-town derby

Photo: Anthony Fernandes

Ravish Narvekar

Substitute Fhezer Gomes scored the all-important goal of the match for the Green Brigade.

Salgaocar FC secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over defending champions Dempo Sports Club in the cross-town derby match of the Goa Professional League played at Duler Stadium on Monday evening.

The match started with aggressive play from both ends where Salgaocar's Umang Gaikwad and Akash Sanadi had a chance to breach Dempo’s defence but the lads could not control their strikes as the ball went over the crossbar. the Golden Eagles’ Kirtikesh Gadekar, Klusner Pereira and U20 Necio Fernandes also had a chance to put their side ahead in the early minutes of the match but the Dempo trio followed suit.

Dempo had the golden opportunity to surge ahead in the 18th minute when referee Tejas Nagvenkar awarded a penalty kick to them following Salgaocar's Krishnanath Shirodkar handling the ball in the box. However, Pedro Gonsalves could not beat Salgaocar keeper Jason D’Melo from the spot as the custodian first blocked the Dempo forward, while he also managed to stop Desmon Pereira’s strike from the rebound.

Both sides had an opportunity just before halftime, as first Salgaocar's Akash Sanadi sent a low cross to Shaviz Pathan in the box but the U20 forward failed to connect the header from close. At the other end, Dempo forward Pedro who had squandered the best opportunity to take the lead for his side, had another opportunity when he entered the box cutting past a few opponents but Salgaocar defender Saurabh Patil blocked his goalbound strike to keep his side safe.

The Golden Eagle suffered another blow in the added minutes of the session when their keeper Savio Pereira was sent off as he handled the ball outside the box to clear rivals Umang Gaikwad’s cross.

On crossing over, Salgaocar substitute Fhezer should have taken the lead for his side in the 52nd minute when he fired a sparkling strike from just outside the box only to see it divingly collected by opponent keeper Wellyster Mendes.

However, the Salgaocar substitute forward Fhezer put his side ahead in the 81st minute when his long ranger beat the rival keeper Wellyster before crashing into the back of the net to make it 1-0 for the Green Brigade.

Forward Fhezer almost doubled the lead in the added minutes of the match when he collected a through pass from Samuel Costa and entered the box before striking a stiff grounder at the rival frame but the Dempo substitute keeper Wellyster came with a brilliant block as the cost of a corner.

Salgaocar keeper Jason was awarded the Man of the Match for superb performance under the goalpost.