Margao: Goals from Rohan Ricketts and Ryuji Sueoka helped Dempo beat Salgaocar 2-1 and regain the top position after their ninth round I-League match at the Nehru Stadium here on Saturday. Salgaocar, looking for their first win at home, started attacking from the word go and held the ball more in the first half, but their forays were thwarted by the rival defence.
Dempo made two changes, bringing in Ricketts and Fernandes in place of injured Clifford Miranda and Anthony Pereira. Coach Armando Colaco introduced Ricketts upfront and shifted Joaquim Abranches to the left flank. Ricketts did not let his coach down as he scored in the 29th minute. A Randeep Singh pass from the box hit Ricketts on the top of the box. The striker controlled the ball, positioned himself and sent a low angular shot that beat keeper Karanjit Singh.
The goal spurred Dempo who kept on attacking. Salgaocar came close to scoring soon after resumption when defender Nicolau Colaco moved up after beating a couple of rival defenders and essayed a shot that missed the target narrowly. Salgaocar's attacking play paid off as they equalised in the 59th minute. Substitute Milagres Gonsalves worked his way on the right flank and sent a measured cross into the box for Sean Rooney, who leaped high and headed the ball into the net.
Dempo's midfield was unable to dictate terms, so Colaco introduced Climax Lawrence and the move paid off as they started to pile up the pressure and nearly scored in the 80th minute, but Suoeka and Romeo Fernandes failed to find the target off a cross from Abranches. The Salgaocar citadel crumbled in the 84th minute when Sueoka climbed over Augustine Fernandes to head the ball into the net off Ricketts' cross who received the ball from Lawrence.
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