Dempo SC 2 (Marcus Joseph, 8, Juan Mera 45+3)
lost to
Sreenidi Deccan 3 (David Castañeda Munoz, 53, 59, Brandon Vanlalremdika, 69)
AIFF Media Team
FATORDA, GOA: A spirited David Castañeda Muñoz orchestrated a stunning comeback for Sreenidi Deccan FC to defeat hosts Dempo Sports Club 3-2 in a gripping I-League 2024-25 match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.
The Colombian forward played a crucial role in reversing his team’s fortunes in the second half as he scored twice and set up the winner for Brandon Vanlalremdika. The brace also helped Castañeda emerge the top-scorer in the league with 12 goals.
Dempo players were left frustrated after Marcus Joseph and Juan Mera had given them the lead in the first half.
The win helped Sreenidi Deccan leapfrog Dempo to the eighth position in the points table. They have 22 points from 16 matches with six wins, four draws and six losses. Dempo are ninth with 19 points from 16 matches.
Castañeda is no stranger to the current edition of the I-League for his second half blitz, especially in the away matches. Earlier, on January 9, against hosts Aizawl FC, the Colombian struck a hat-trick in the last half an hour to steer the Hyderabad side to a 4-3 win after Aizawl raced to a 2-0 lead in the first half.
It was a tale of two halves. The match opened with Dempo asserting dominance and capitalising on their home advantage to take early control. The first half saw Dempo’s attacking flair in full force, led by Joseph and Mera, whose chemistry and sharp movements left the Sreenidi Deccan defence scrambling.
The duo’s efforts paid off, with Joseph heading in a precise cross from Mera in the eighth minute to put Dempo ahead. Their relentless pressure continued, and just before the half time whistle, Mera added a second, pouncing on a rebound after Sreenidi Deccan goalkeeper Aryan Lamba could only parry Joseph’s initial effort.
Trailing by two goals at the break, Sreenidi Deccan’s prospects looked bleak. However, the second half unveiled a different narrative. Castañeda emerged as the catalyst for change, igniting the comeback with a header from a deep free-kick in the 53rd minute.
Castañeda’s scoring prowess was on display again when he equalised six minutes later. Exploiting a mistake from Dempo’s goalkeeper Ashish Sibi, who failed to collect the ball cleanly, Castañeda tapped home from close range.
The decisive moment came in the 69th minute. Munoz continued his influential performance and delivered a precise cross to Vanlalremdika across the face of the Dempo goal. Vanlalremdika made no mistake in converting the opportunity to complete the stunning comeback and put Sreenidi Deccan ahead for the first time in the match.Shocked by the turn of events, Dempo struggled to regain their composure but found a golden opportunity to salvage a point late in the game. Lukman Adefemi Abegunrin had a clear shot at goal, but Sreenidi’s defender Deepak DP made a crucial block, preserving the lead and securing all three points for his team.
