Air India finally take off; ground Dempo Sports 2-0 in NFL Webindia123.com Margao | January 21, 2006 8:46:17 PM IST
Two quick second half goals saw Air India (AI), Mumbai stun defending champions Dempo Sports Club by 2-0 and register their first win in the ONGC Cup 10th edition National Football League (NFL) championship at Nehru Stadium Fatorda here today. The goals came through Zaheer Abbas in the 63rd minute and Bashiru in the 65th minute. Dempo, who played at full steam in the first half, failed to maintain the momentum, and then collapsed like nine pins in the second half, conceding two quick goals. Air India finally opened their account with three points after suffering two losses. For Dempo, it was a big jolt, having lost two matches in a row. They now languish at two points, gained from two drawn matches, from four outings. Dempo swung into action and unleashed a series of attacks in the first half with duo Renty Martin and Joaquim Abranches. They repeatedly tried to breach Air India's defences in a bid to hold sway over the proceedings. Such was their dominance that the hosts could have at least scored twice in the first session but failed to convert their chances. As early as in the 5th minute, Abranches wasted an easy chance off a pass from Martin. Two minutes later Air India goalkeeper Sundar Rajan brought off a fine save a header from Robert Mendes Silava off a cross pass from Abranches. Then in the 17th minute, Brazileian Beto, after collecting a pass from Martin, unleashed a power-packed shot that sailed over the bar. Dempo were further frustrated in the 34th minute, when medio Jules Alberto Dias's 30 yarder full blooded shot hit the cross bar and rebounded into the play. Not a single good move was witnessed from the visitors in the first half.(UNI)