Minerva lads stun Dempo Sports Club

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Chandigarh, December 6

Minerva Academy Football Club, Chandigarh, warded off stiff resistance from favourites and five-time National League champions, Dempo SC, Goa, before coming out triumphant 1-0 in a match in the ongoing Hero I-League (2nd Division), played at Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana today.

Having defeated Kenkre FC and then Lone Star FC, Kashmir, this was the third consecutive victory for the Chandigarh outfit. After three matches, Minerva Academy had accumulated nine points to top their pool.

It were Dempo SC players who dominated the proceedings and invaded rival’s territory repeatedly. They managed to pierce through Goan defence but lacked execution and their valiant efforts failed to produce the desired result.

Midway through the first session, Dempo’s foreign recruit, Chika Wali, after beating a horde of defenders, sneaked into the striking zone, where he found the custodian Shayan Roy on the wrong foot, but he kicked the ball over the cross bar, much to the relief of the academy players.

This was immediately followed by heroic from Dempo FC trio of Aniston Fernandes, Nickson Castanha and Samir Naik that initiated a fine move which also fizzled out at the goal mouth.

Had the Goa players capitalised the chances they got, the scoreboard would have been different. As the Goa outfit appeared to be in full control, in a counterattack in the 40th minute, former India U-16 captain Krishna Pandit of Dempo, after taking the ball possession at the top of striking zone, ran down the left flank, rolling out towards Manvir Singh who, with an angular kick sent the ball into the net to read it 1-0.

Elated at this, Minerva Academy boys went all out to increase the lead but Dempo lads succeeded in keeping them at a way.

Dempo started the second session with more vigour and threatened academy citadel on many occasions but failed to translate the chances into goal and the latter managed to hang on to the lead till the long whistle and garner full three points to take their tally to nine.

The win affirms Minerva Academy FC’s spot in the top of the table with 9 points, four points clear off second placed Kashmir FC. Minerva Academy will next play against PIFA (Club) at Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana on December 11 .