PANAJI: Dempo Sports Club emerged winners of the Goa Football Association Charity Match 2021-22 following their 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory over Sporting Clube de Goa, at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Friday.
After a goalless affair in regulation time, the Golden Eagles’ new-signing goalie Dylan D’Silva was the hero in the penalty shoot-out saving the first two spot-kicks to guide his team to the victory. For Dempo, Suraj Hadkonkar, Ariston Costa, Edwin Viegas and Pedro Gonsalves were on target while the Flaming Oranje converted through Marcus Mascarenhas and Liston Cardozo.
After a nervy start with almost all new names in the squad, Sporting Clube de Goa were first to register an attempt when Dattaraj Gaonkar on collecting a loose ball outside the box, tried his luck with a long shot, which narrowly missed the target.
After nearly dominating for 15 minutes, Sporting were put under pressure when Kirtikesh Gadekar’s long free-kick in the box was headed by Edwin Viegas, however, his attempt sailed over the far post.
Dempo SC came agonisingly close in the 19th minute when Kirtikesh sent in another long ball from his own half which found Vieri Colaco, upfront, and the youngster kept his composure outside the box taking on two Sporting defenders, struck a well-executed shot, which however took a slight deflection off Clive Miranda and went wide. If not for that deflection, Dempo would have been 1-0.
Dempo SC’s new signing goalkeeper Dylan D’Silva was forced to pull off a double save when first he blocked Alton’s header off a Stendley corner and then the rebound which followed up, coming from his own teammate.
Crossing over, in the 58th minute Dylan came up with a brilliant save to keep his side in the game. Second half substitute Liston Cardozo threaded a through pass to his brother Llyod Cardozo, who had the entire frame to shoot, but despite being one-on his low grounder was saved by the keeper. Earlier, Alton missed an effort for SCG.
It was a lively second half where both sides showed urgency in scoring. However, it was Sporting once again who should have scored when Dattaraj on intercepting a ball set up Akeraj Martins at goal, but the latter shot wide.
In the 74th minute, it was Sporting’s Ozen Silva who kept his side in the game when he brilliantly saved Richard Cardozo’s shot from inside the box. The scores remained goalless and Dempo SC prevailed in the penalty shoot-out.
Tarak Arolkar, Mapusa Municipal Councillor, was the chief guest for the Charity Match and gave away the prizes to the winners and runners-up in the presence of GFA Vice-President Anthony Pango and GFA Executive Committee members Babli Mandrekar, John Silva, Anthony Fernandes, Cosme Oliviera, Franky Fernandes, Gregory Fernandes, John Fernandes among others.
