Dempo SC snatched an important away win against Minerva Academy FC in the Round 4 opener at the Sector 17 ground in The City Beautiful, courtesy the solitary goal scored by Uttam Rai in the 10th-minute.
The football fanatics from Chandigarh came out in numbers in support of their home team Minerva Academy FC today. The home team, led by Kareem Omolaja Nurain, came out to clash their swords with Dempo SC.
Mauricio Afonso had to deploy his pawns without the services of Jewel Raja who injured himself in their last encounter against Mohammedan SC.
Right after the kickoff, Mandar Rao Desai unleashed a dangerous attack from the left flank in the 2nd minute. Two minutes later, the home team also had their share of joy when Manvir Singh rattled the crossbar from a well-taken corner by Sajandeep Singh. Sukhwinder Singh, who has brought in loads of experience with himself, tried his luck from 25-yards out but it went abegging.
On a counter-attacking move, Mandar Rao Desai outran Akashdeep Singh with his sheer pace and delivered a superb cross to onrushing Uttam Rai, who did no mistake to slot it home in the 10th minute. Within 5 minutes, Romeo Fernandes came very close to double the gap but the crossbar came in between. Since then, the match was almost a one-way traffic mostly dictated by Mandar Rao Desai, Romeo Fernandes, and Uttam Rai.
In the 32nd minute, the home team almost drew parity in the scoreline through Manvir but Kattimani cut it out. The first half came to an end without any more happenings.
On the resumption, Surinder Singh forced two changes in the likes of Pawandeep Singh and Dilliram Sanyasi at the expenses of Sukhwinder Singh and Arshdeep Singh. The frustration for the home crowd soared up as Manvir wasted another opportunity to put his team on level pegging.
Just at the stroke of the hour mark, Ramandeep Singh blasted the net with a strong header but the referee ruled it offside. Dilliram Sanyasi and Taranjit Singh left no stone unturned to snatch a point from their first home game in the final round of the Second Division League but Dempo SC defenders defied their every single effort.
Towards the end, the game lost its pace but Goan boys held their nerves to earn a monumental away win against the Minerva boys.
