Dempo Sports Club are making a return at the national football circuit with their participation in the ongoing Second Division I-League 2022-23. After three matches in the Group D, Samir Naik’s boys find themselves second with 5 points behind leaders Ahmedabad Racquet Academy Football Club (ARA FC) with 8 points from four games.
The new chapter has only just begun for Dempo SC, who are India’s most successful football club with five national league titles in their bag, where after their I-League pull-out as a protest on Indian football roadmap in 2016, the Golden Eagles are now making a concerted push to be back among the footballing elite.
From across the four groups of five teams each in the Second Division I-League, the toppers will go through to the final round. One best second-placed team will join them. One can sense that Dempo are in the competition with their sight firmly fixed on progressing through the group.
Former India international and Dempo SC defender-turned-coach Samir Naik has set the team with defensive ruggedness in the Second Division I-League 2022-23. His mantra is simple, a point is better than coming off with nothing at all.
Dempo SC, who were also the first Indian football club to reach the semi-final of the Asian Football Confederation Cup tournament in 2008, have a history of exemplary toughness and mentality from their glorious past of over fifty years. However, one can only see work in progress with their first-team now. Apart from the experienced defender and captain Shallum Pires (30), who has witnessed coach Armando Colaco’s illustrious era of being the kings of Indian football, the other players are yet to grow in stature although one among them former FC Goa defender, Mohamed Ali has valuable ISL exposure to share with youngsters.
Samir Naik’s outfit definitely has talent like forward Beneston Barretto and midfielder Gourav Kankonkar but one of the most impressive attackers is Dempo Football Academy product Necio Fernandes. Yet, the Golden Eagles are struggling to end their goal drought that began in the away match against Hyderabad FC reserves in Bengaluru last week. The story was repeated on Wednesday at Dempo academy ground at Ela-Old Goa with another frustrating goalless draw. Even in their campaign opener against FC Goa Reserves, Dempo had only found the target once which was through defender Brian Faria, who hit the crossbar with a header against ARA FC.
Dempo SC have done a lot of things right so far. They have been good on attacking transitions and have maintained their shape. What they do lack, is composure in the opponents’ area to make the right pass and clinical precision to finish the move, an individual capable of magic on the field. Nevertheless, the Golden Eagles, who are also in the contention to emerge the state league champions again, have a team willing to fight, but need a spark to fire their national ambition.
