Pune, March 02: Dempo Sports Club, Goa, began their AFC Cup campaign with a 2-1 win over Yemen’s Al Tilal in a Group A encounter here Tuesday.
All the goals came in the second session of the Shiv Chhatrapathi Sports Complex, Mhalunge-Balewadi, game.
For Dempo, their Brazilian midfielder Beto (53rd) and Nigerian striker Ranti Martins Soleye (67th) found the target before Al Tilal striker Tafese Tesfaye Sege (75th) pulled one back to ease the pressure when they play the Goan side in the return leg.
Two minutes into the game, the visitors began with a promise. Midfielder Ruffin Motshumba cut through the Dempo defence and found himself with just custodian Subhasish Roy Chowdhury to beat, however to his dismay the Dempo ‘keeper’s brilliant anticipation kept a stiff try out.
Settling down slowly, Dempo had Ranti Martin’s go close in the 14th minute.
Running well to a Peter Carvalho’s feed from the right flank, Ranti caught the Al Tilal defence unwares. A right-footed attempt from inside the box that followed ended when Al-Khamri blocked and yielded a corner instead.
The game thereafter settled into midfield play and both team settled into nothing ambitious.
Dempo closed out the half with a distinct domination of play and more attempts on goal.
On resumption, Dempo took ten minutes to go one up after Beto scored. The goal was a gem as defender Samir Naik, moving into the Al Tilal half on the right, sent in a long cross which Beto followed and did well to powerfully head in.
Dempo grew in confidence and against the run of play had striker Ranti score off a “gift” offered by Al Tilal mid-fielder Amr Najib Farag Ba Wazir. The goal was casual as Ranti intercepted the medio’s aimless pass sent from 30 yards out and finished past a helpless keeper.
Down 0-2, Al Tilal pulled one back nine minutes later when striker Tafese Tesfaye Sege ran well to receive Lami Itana Geleta’s quick exchange to beat a hesitant Mahesh Gawli, who called for off-side.
Result: Tafese finished beating a hapless Dempo custodian.
-Agencies