Dempo Sports Club and Salgaocar SC did everything except score in an entertaining Goa derby in a 17th round I-League encounter at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Sunday.
In a game where both the teams looked to grab a win and bolster their positions, there was plenty of excitement and end to end action but the final touch at either end was woefully missing.
While Dempo now enjoy a three-point lead over second-placed East Bengal at the top of the table, Salgaocar are now unbeaten in eight matches, six of which they have won.
Salgaocar started aggressively and played to a plan. They kept the ball for long spells and frustrated their rivals, forcing them to make mistakes. Salgaocar striker Ryuji Sueoka was the recipient of two of the best chances at the start but the Japanese striker could not make that count.
Dempo were creating their own chances too. Nigerian striker Ranty Martins in particular was off-colour as he failed to give finishing touches to a couple of gilt-edged chances. The first was in the first session when he shockingly shot wide with only the goalkeeper in front.
The best chance for Ranty came at the fag end of the match when Koko Sakibo did well to shield the ball from a couple of Salgaocar defenders before sending a diagonal ball to Ranty.
Salgaocar were not as good in the second session as they were in the first but they could have still wrapped up full points had Dempo goalkeeper Subhashish Roy Chowdhury not got his hand, and body, to a fierce long-ranger from Edeh Chidi.
Dempo now have 37 points from 17 ties while Salgaocar have 29 points from 17 outings.
Subhashish Roy Chowdhury was the man of the match.
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