Dempo begin in style in Durand Cup

NEW DELHI, November 1: A sublime touch here, an electrifying run there and a near perfect understanding everywhere. This is in fact was just one session of the hour and half-long Osian's Durand Cup story between Dempo Sports Club and Indian Air Force XI on Thursday, and needless to say it was scripted by the Goans.
The other half was more of a nondescript type, laden with futile catch-up takes and retakes by the airmen.With Ranti Martins drawing first blood in the initial ten minutes itself, the encounter - largely expected to be a cakewalk for the reigning NFL and the defending Durand Cup champions - hardly gave the airmen any chance to even attempt a decent take off in the main draw of the tournament.
Chidi Edeh played the perfect partner to his leaner compatriot Martins upfront. As Brazilian Roberto Silva (Beto) orchestrated the midfield with his familiar stupendous tackles and dodging, there was hardly any need for the likes of Mahesh Gawli, Samir Naik, Clifford Miranda and Climax Lawrence, all of whom just back from the national squad duty relaxed on the bench and enjoyed the rout by their team-mates.
If the Goan side was keen on running havoc in the rival area every now and then, the IAF goalkeeper A Bandhopadhyay just looked all the more eager in helping them execute that.
With the Goans sitting pretty with 3-0 at the break, thanks to Beto's powerful shot off Chidi's cross in the 21st minute and the latter's effortless pounce on last-minute chaos in the area - the second half was a rather sordid account of the airmen's inane mistakes, Bandhopadhyay's frivolous bravery and skipper Kalyan Pal's lone endeavour.
On many an occasion the hapless IAF keeper tried to stop a Martins charge or a Chidi bull-run in its nascent stage, only to leave his post all the more goal-prone. Though the defence bailed him out on the other chances they had no answer to Beto's swift foot when in an attempt to curb Martins, Bandhopadhyay left the area and the Nigerian played it superbly for Beto to head home.
After his legs, it was now the turn of Chidi's head to do the talking when he put the lid on the clash with a neat header in.