Dempo edge past Sesa FA

Dempo Sports Club managed to scrape past Sesa Football Academy by 2-1 margin in the Airtel Goa Pro-League(Super League) match played at Duler stadium, here on Sunday.

With today’s victory, Dempo climbed to third position with 20 points, while Sesa suffered their second defeat in the Super League and stayed on 13 points.

Sesa, after their defeat against Sporting Clube de Goa, started brightly and should have taken the lead in the 5th minute of play through a half-volley from Yogesh Kadam, which was saved by Dempo keeper Laxmikant Kattimani.

Two minutes later Dempo’s left back Shallum Pires was replaced by Proney Halder with a knee injury.

Though Sesa had more of the ball possession and attack, Dempo took the lead in the 18th minute, where a fine through pass by Allwyn George was finished by Mandarrao Dessai with a scorching left footer, 1-0.

Dempo should have further increased their lead, in the 36th minute, but Tunard Fernandes was brought down by Sesa defender Ponif Vaz just outside the penalty box.

A couple of minutes before the breather, Sesa’s Perryson Rebello’s placement off a pass by Glen Martins sailed inches over the post.

On resumption of play, both the coaches came with a couple of substitutions, Sesa’s coach Clifford Chukwuma brought Chukwudi Chukwuma and Girish Naik, while Dempo coach Arthur Papas replaced Tunard Fernandes with Romeo Fernandes, to further strengthen the attack. 

Romeo made his presence felt with a hot-blooded shot which missed the target by a whisker, while Mandarrao’s cross at the goal saw keeper Thockchom Singh block Joy Ferrao and Romeo Fernandes’ shots at the goal.

Finally a 25-yard shot by medio Jewel Raja, in the 68th minute, brushed keeper Thockchom’s hands, to find the ball hit the back of the nylons, 2-0.

In the last quarter of the match Sesa were all over the Dempo territory, where in the 73rd minute Yogesh Kadam sent a low cross to Chukwudi Chukwuma whose stinging left footer beat the Dempo keeper hands down, 2-1.

Chukwudi almost levelled terms minutes later, but his weak shot was collected by the keeper, off a cross by Yogesh. At the other end, Romeo Fernandes after getting past a couple of Sesa defenders latched on to a blistering 25-yard shot which banged the upright. 

Dempo’s Mandarrao Dessai received the most valuable player of the match, while Jewel Raja was awarded for scoring the best goal of the match.