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In a match of two struggling I-League giants, Dempo SC beat Goan rivals Churchill Brothers SC by a lone goal at the Duler ground in Mapusa on Wednesday afternoon.
With the win Dempo SC moved to 10 points from eight matches, while defending champions Churchill Brothers stay on only three points from eight matches and just a better goal difference over Rangdajied United keeps them away from the league’s bottom place.
Both teams knew a win was a must heading into the international break. Dempo coach Arthur Papas did not make too many changes but was forced to start with Jeje Lalpekhlua upfront as the lone striker due to an injury to Irish first-choice striker Billy Mehmet.
Jeje did not take too much of a time to launch himself into the attack. In the 12th minute he announced his arrival with a smart header that goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya somehow managed to get a hand to and the crossbar then came to Churchill’s rescue, but two minutes later, Jeje opened Dempo’s account after he got Beto‘s through ball and had all the time in the world to slam the ball past the Churchill Brothers goalkeeper.
Churchill Brothers relied too much on the counter and one such opportunity should have resulted in the equalizer as striker Henry Arnaud Antchouet Rebienot had a good look at the rival goal from close but he instead chose to pass the ball to playmaker Hugo Machado, who was easily dispossessed.
Minutes before the change of ends, Bineesh Balan brought out a good save of Subhasish Roy Chowdhury with a stinging shot from just outside the box.
In the second session, Dempo SC had good chances to kill the game but Jeje missed two chances and another volley from Beto sailed too wide of the goal. At the other end Churchill Brothers technical director Subhash Bhowmick made three quick changes but nothing worked. All that they got were half chances that neither Henri or Balwant Singh could convert.
The match ended with Dempo SC beating their old rivals Churchill Brothers 1-0 in the I-League to steady their campaign, while Churchill Brothers continue to struggle.
