PANAJI: Calangute Association stunned Dempo Sports Club 2-1 in Goa Football Association’s Selvel Goa Professional League at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Saturday.
Siddhant Shirodkar (27′) and Kouame Junior (34′) scored in the first half to help Calangute to a two-goal lead until Dempo substitute Suraj Hadkonkar pulled a goal back in the 86th minute.
The match began with end to end play with lot of early challenges flying in. Calangute were lucky not to have Krishna Shirodkar sent off early for his stud up challenge on Darrel Mascarenhas. He was let go with just a caution.
Among the two sides, Dempo had the better chance to break the deadlock in the first quarter. Shubham Malvankar teed-up with Beevan D’Mello in the area and the last named flicked the ball to Richard Cardozo, whose left-foot shot from inside the box however, went wide.
Dempo SC, who enjoyed better possession in attack, were stunned in the 27th minute goal from Siddhant Shirodkar. Nickson Castanha floated a long ball from his own half into the opposition territory. Siddhant won the chase for the delivery leaving behind Shallum Pires and flicked the ball over the onrushing keeper to open the account. The U-20 player has been the find of the season so far for Calangute, scoring yet another goal in the league.
Calangute nearly doubled the lead and it would have been Siddhant Shirodkar once again when he stylishly headed in a Chaitan Dabholkar cross, as it narrowly went past the post. But it didn’t take long for Calangute to inflate the lead. In the 34th minute, Sidharth Kundaikar got past his marker — Shubham Malvankar, and whipped in a delightful cross in the box to an unmarked Kouame Junior, whose firm header gave no chance for Dempo custodian Melroy Fernandes.
Dempo SC, who were stunned by their opponents’ quick goals, suddenly created an opportunity out of nowhere. Shubham lashed in a diagonal pass from his own half to Alber Gonsalves, whose first touch proved a little heavy when one-on-one with the keeper, and the Baga-based lad couldn’t direct the shot on goal from a tight angle. This was a good chance for Dempo SC to get back in the game.
The Golden Eagles came back stronger in the second session. But it was Calangute once again taking a shot at rival goal. Dempo custodian Melroy came up with a point-blank save to deny Kouame Junior.
Edwin came up with a goalline clearance to deny Sidharth, whose shot took a hand of Melroy and was heading into the goal before it was cleared off the line.
Dempo SC pulled a goal back in the 86th minute from a direct free-kick. Suraj Hadkonkar’s low free-kick brushed off the post and entered the net. At the other end Mark Junior missed a sitter for Calangute. With just the keeper to beat, the Liberian shot wide.
