MAPUSA: Dempo Sports Club put up a clinical performance to get the better of new entrants Sesa Football Academy 2-0 in the GFA’s Professional League match, at Duler stadium, here, on Wednesday.
After a goalless first half, last year runners-up Dempo got both the goals in the second half through Nickson Castanha and Joaquim Abranches.
Dempo were up and running from the kick-off and were unlucky in the seventh minute when Joaquim Abranches’ low shot hit the post and went out from a dangerous cross whipped towards the goal by Kritikesh.
Sesa who were pegged back in their own half gradually got into the match where Olvin Cardozo had two decent attempts of getting his team back on level terms during the half hour mark but was denied by the alertness of Dempo keeper Agnelo Gomes.
In the closing minutes, Melvin Lobo’s rasping shot struck the hand of Dempo’s Nickson Castanha but despite a strong protest from the Sesa lads for a penalty it was not given by referee Sharad Naik.
It did not take long for Dempo to break the deadlock when in the 63rd minute a sublime 25-yard curling free-kick from Nickson Castanha had no answer by the fully stretched Sesa keeper. The free-kick was awarded after Sesa keeper Nongpoknganba Singh left his charge to thwart Dempo’s striker Joaquim Abranches outside the penalty box.
Sesa nearly levelled terms when a long ball from the defence found substitute Kunal Salgaonkar but before he could release the trigger, Dempo keeper advanced quickly out of his goal and cleared the ball to safety.
Another penalty appeal was turned down in the 80th minute by referee Sharad Naik after Dempo’s Mathew Gonsalves brought Kunal Salgaonkar inside the penalty box.
With Sesa looked dangerous in the closing minutes, Dempo were able to seal the match in the 84th minute through a clinical finish by Joaquim Abranches after being put through by substitute Beevan D’Mello to make it 2-0.
