I-League: Goalless Between Chirag and Dempo

Chirag United 0-0 Dempo

First Half

There was a timid start to the match as neither side managed to exert themselves over the other. There were hardly any chances as Dempo's passing game didn't manage to hoodwink the Chirag United defenders, who were on full alert. Subrata Bhattacharya's side themselves tried to press on but they were also kept at bay.

The match, though, did take on a more colourful shade after 15 minutes. Chirag carved out the first real chance of the match in the 18th minute when Daniel Ayeni took a left footed shot that flew over the bar, not enforcing Dempo custodian Abhijit Mondal into any save.

Chirag's next chance came in the 26th minute when Dhanarajan R took a weak shot from 25 yards out that went harmlessly off target.

Dempo, though, were grooving into their own selves as Joseph Valeriano Rebello took a right footed shot from 25 yards out. But it didn't have any venom and Chirag goalkeeper Rabikanta Singh didn't have any problem in catching the ball with ease.

Dempo then started to play more of passing game and did come close on the half-hour mark when Ranty Martins passed the ball to Anthony Pereira and the latter curved in a well measured cross. But unfortunately for the Goan giants, his cross was headed out for a corner that wasn't capitalized upon.

The match then went somewhat stale as neither side really managed to pull off any exquisite move. Dempo did gain a free-kick on the edge of the Chirag penalty area in the 37th minute but Beto hit the free-kick straight at Singh.

Second Half

The second half was pretty much a repeat of the first half: Chirag had more possession, attacked more and got quite a number of corners.

Bhattacharya's side carved out the first chance of the match just five minutes into the restart when Muritala Ali dribbled past a couple of Dempo players on the right flank and passed the ball to an unmarked Denson Devadas placed just outside the penalty area.

Devadas took a first time shot with the outside of his left foot but it was parried out for a corner by a stretching Abhijit Mondal. The hosts continued to gain territorial advantage over Dempo and took the game to the visitors, playing with pace, rhythm and urgency.

As for the reigning I-League champions, they seemed happy to soak the pressure and exhibited a desperate lack of imagination and creativity in the midfield.

But for all of Chirag's urgency and possession, they couldn't really rip apart the Dempo backline. Devadas again had a chance in the 70th minute when he took a left-footed shot that sailed over the Dempo crossbar.

Chirag got their best chance of the match 15 minutes before the final whistle when Snehashish Chakraborty's corner fell to an unmarked Muritala Ali who took a first time shot on the spin. His effort, though, didn't bear dividends as it went just over the crossbar.

The 0-0 draw keeps Chirag 11th in the table with 22 points but they are level on points with JCT and Mohammedan while Dempo are now in fifth with 27 points from 19 matches.

Subhankar Mondal