MARGAO, MAR 5: Marcelo Antonio clipped the Air-India wings with an opportunistic 54th minute goal, guiding Dempo to their fifth victory in the Philips National Football League here today.The verdict left Dempo with 20 points from 14 matches, besides dampening the title prospects of Air-India. Mauricio Afonso, the reliable Dempo linkman, won the Man of the Match award.Dempo packed their defence tight and patiently let the rivals advance while laying in wait for a chance to counter-attack. The injury-hit, Air-India were too slow in moving the ball from the mid-field to the strikers and too hesitant to capitalise on the few openings they created.In the 17th minute, Air-India won a ball in the middle and stretched the rival defence dangerously with three crisp passes that sprayed the ball from one side of the field to the other. But instances like this were quite rare in the first session of play.Dempo on the other hand, after a couple of early attempts by Antonio, were a bit slow and unsure, and onoccasion, played safe with a pass out to the flanks because they were unable to penetrate. The curious approach had the Goans in a tangle. Still, there were a few good moves that promised a goal. But Savio Pereira hesitated when put through by Santan and could not make amends even after the goalkeeper had rushed out, dived at the edge of the box and failed to grab the ball.Yusuf Ansari, who returned to do his duty under the Air-India crosspiece after an interval of one year, was given a harrowing time by the duo on the Dempo attack, Antonio and Gautam Ghosh. The former, in particular, was deceptive and his power-packed volleys made Yusuf stretch, twice within the first 30 minutes.Air-India who missed the inspiring presence of Godfrey Pereira and Jacinto D'Silva, who was stretchered out as early as in the eighth minute, fell to the pressure in the 54th, when Antonio virtually nodded the ball in. The Air-India right back charged over as Antonio entered the penalty area, was fooled by Antonio, then gothopelessly turned around when the Brazilian instead ploughed left straight into the net, past a startled Yusuf Ansari. Right stopper Henry Picardo flung himself into a desperate slide tackle, only to miss the pass. Antonio's brilliant move followed Braj Mohan's through pass from outside the box.The Goans suffered a setback when their defender Mathew Rodrigues was ordered to march out for a 77th minute foul on Abbas Ali Rizvi. The Mumbai team pressed hard for an equaliser, sending K V Reaz and Rizvi in search of the goal, but it was already late.
