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Bangalore, Dec 5 (UNI) Tragedy struck the 26th Federation Cup as it claimed the life of Brazilian striker Cristiano Delima Junior immediately after scoring the winning goal for Dempo Sports club, Goa.
The goan team's joy of lifting the Cup for the first time, was shortlived as the news of death of 25 year-old star striker reached them after the match ended.
Dempo defeated Mohun Bagan 2-0.
The players, after receiving the Cup from Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh, were forced to suspend the victory lapas the news came in.
The chief Minister announced Rs One lakh compensation for Christiano Junior who had emerged the highest goal getter (16) in the last National Football League.
Immediately after the news of his death spread, football fans, former football players, gathered in large number in the Hosmat hospital where the doctors declared Cristiano dead on arrival, protested against inadequate facility in the ambulance as it did not had Oxygen and also against Karnataka State Football Association (KSFA) which brought the injured to a hospital which was far away from the venue.
The angry crowd did not allow the body to be taken to mortuary demanding KSFA President to come and give explanation for the death of a player that too a foreign origin. ''If this was the facility we provide for a foreign player during an important match what would be the fate of Indian players who get injured'', questioned one fan.
However, they dispersed asking Goan players to file a complaint with the police against the hospital and KSFA for failing to make proper arrangement.
The body of Cristiano was taken to Victoria Hospital. The body will be handed over after postmortem.
Depressed Dempo Coach Armando Colaco told UNI at the hospital that the body will later be taken to Brazil.
Picturegallery of the Federation Cup 2004 - Bangalore:
picture of Churchill Brothers SC during practice ahead of the Federation Cup, November 23
picture from the match Dempo SC Vs EverReady SA, November 25
picture from the match Mohun Bagan Vs Indian Bank, November 26
pictures from the match JCT Mills Vs State Bank of Travancore, November 27
picture from the match Dempo SC Vs Churchill Brothers SC, November 29
pictures from the match East Bengal Club Vs Sporting Clube de Goa, November 30
picture from the match Dempo SC Vs Tollygunge Agragami, December 3
picture from the match Mohun Bagan Vs Sporting Clube de Goa, December 3
picture from the match Dempo SC Vs Mohun Bagan Vs Sporting Clube de Goa, December 3
Cristiano Junior joined East Bengal in the middle of this season on advise of his good friend Douglas, when East Bengal were going through a lean patch. And Cristiano immediately has been the revolution. He dethroned Ghanian Yakubu Yusif as the 8th National League's top scorer and also is the leading scorer for East Bengal in the AFC Cup. We catch up with him to discuss about life at East Bengal and some of the challenges he faced.
What brought you to India and East Bengal?
I came here by help of Douglas, he requested me to come and play in India and for East Bengal.
What will you attribute the reason behind your success?
I attribute this success first for God and Jesus, because they are the inspiration of my life, after than to my Wife and my family, and off course the East Bengal fans.
What were your expectations and ambitions of East Bengal as a club and Indian football, when you joined East Bengal?
My first target when I joined East Bengal were get the championship. And God give us that and after that God gave me the NFLs top scorer boot as well.
What are your comments on East Bengal fans?
I like them very much, because they have received me very well.
A word or two about East Bengal team mates, coach, management and staff?
About East Bengal team, I think its the best in India and we have proved this in the NFL. About coach he is very good as he understands so much about the football.
A word or two about East Bengal's team spirit?
When I came here the spirit was not good, because the team had lost two tournaments. But we improved match after match. Also this improved the spirit in team also.
Can you tell us about some of the challenges that you had set before the start of the season?
My challenges at the start of the season were to get NFL, qualify for AFC Cup and I score the highest number of goals.
With East Bengal consistently playing among the elite of Asia and doing well in Asia and NFL, do you think East Bengal has set a standard for other Indian clubs to follow?
I think so, because others Indian clubs have to follow the good examples set by East Bengal. East Bengal has proved there class in boths championships.
What do you think about the future of East Bengal in coming months?
About the East Bengal's future will be promising in coming months in the AFC cup.
Which would you judge as your best goal for East Bengal this season?
My best goals in this season are three: Against Tollygunge, Vasco and JCT.
How do you rate your chances in AFC Cup? Do you think East Bengal will live upto its tag as one of the title favorites for AFC Cup?
I think if East Bengal can keep the same performace as in NFL and in the first phase of the AFC Cup, then we will have very good chances of getting the AFC Cup.
A word or two about the upcoming tournament in Leicester in late-July/early-August? What's your opinion on that?
Talking about the coming tournament in Leicester, its very important to keep the image of our side, the country and for us, the players.
A final word for millions of East Bengal and Indian football fans across India and worldwide?
Everybody enjoy the champion of NFL and keep the confidence in us for AFC Cup.
Thank you for your time in talking to IndianFootball.Com and best of luck for the future!
Mohun Bagan in final
Press Trust of India
BANGALORE, Dec. 3. � Nigerian import Ronty Soleye Martins scored a hattrick as Goan outfit Dempo prevailed over Tollygunge Agragami 4-3, to storm into the final of the Federation Cup football championship here today. The striking prowess of Brazilian striker Cristiano Delima Junior, who scored the other goal for Dempo, and Martins came to the fore again in an enthralling encounter at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. Dempo will now take on Mohun Bagan in the final.
Mohun Bagan, in another semifinal held here today, fought to edge past spirited Sporting Club De Goa by a lone goal in the early second half of the exta-time after 90 minutes of regulation time and the first 15 minutes of the extra-time ended goalless. Mohun Bagan�s midfielder Tomba Singh struck the winner by an accurate and powerful 22-yard right footer which pierced through the left to the diving
goalkeeper. Dempo have made two final appearances in the past but have not won the tournament.
It was Tollygunge who took the lead in the 14th minute thanks to a Surajit Bose header. Bose received a header from Tarif Ahammad off a Saumik Dey shot. Stung by the reverse, Dempo attacked and came up with two goals to lead 2-1 by the 30th minute.
Junior found the target first after rival goal keeper Arindam Ghosh failed to collect a Martins� hit cleanly and the ball bounced back and then Martins himself scored a goal as Tollygunge defenders were caught napping. Suleh Musah made it 2-2 for Tollygunge with a solo, splendid long shot giving no chance to the rival goal keeper Satish Kumar. But in the 45th minue, Martins� powerful shot found the target as Dempo led 3-2 at half-time.
Changing ends, the Goan team increased the lead to 4-2, with Martins scoring again. Two minutes before the final whistle, Awoemi Isiaka scored for Tollygunge but to no avail.
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Junior strike takes Dempo into semis
Brazilian striker Cristiano Delima Junior played a major role in East Bengal's triumph in the National Football League last season. In skill, he perhaps stands nowhere near compatriot Jose Barreto or Nigerian Stephen Aborowei, but his ability to find the target has made him a great hit.
Playing for Dempo Sports Club in the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Monday, Junior once again proved how important he could be for the Goan club's success this season. As opportunistic as ever, Junior came up with the only strike of the match in the 80th minute as Dempo moved into the semi-finals of the Federation Cup football tournament defeating Churchill Brothers. Junior's goal came at a time when Dempo looked an increasingly frustrated side. They dominated for most of the match, and created at least four positive chances, but the goal remained elusive.
Junior broke the deadlock when Riston Rodigues decided to test goalkeeper Mark Mascarenhas' skills off a direct free-kick from the left. Mascarenhas, however, proved to be a poor customer and dropped the ball. The melee that ensued in the area further added to the confusion and Junior availed this opportunity to push the ball in with a deft touch from close range.
Dempo could have finished off the rivals' challenge in the first half itself. Their two foreign recruits in the striking line -- Junior and Nigerian Ronty Martins -- played havoc in the Churchill defence only to waste a series of chances. Junior once ran through off a counter-attack but lost control of the ball at the last moment. A similar mistake was committed by Martins a minute before half-time when he could not trap the ball properly.
Churchill looked an insipid side because of the absence of positive strikers. While their trusted Ghanaian forward Yakubu has gone home on vacation, veteran IM Vijayan is nursing an injury. This left their new coach Shabbir Ali with no other option but to persist with Nigerian Ibe Johnson and Paresh Shivalkar. Both were miserable flops. Mohammed Najeeb, who replaced Shivalkar later, proved no better.
Churchill looked like doing something only for a brief period in the second half. Their midfield combined well and managed to provide quite a few through passes for the strikers. But Johnson stood either too far from the action or reacted too late to make any impact on the Dempo defence.
In the semi-finals on Friday, Dempo will take on Tollygunge Aggragami, who have earned quite a reputation here.
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