AFC Cup: Dempo lose to Duhok, are now out

I-League champions Dempo SC are out of the 2011 AFC Cup after they 0-1 loss in their one-off pre-quarterfinal match against Duhok SC in Iraq earlier today. With Dempo out it ends Indian participation in the continental competition following East Bengal not surviving the group stage.

It was a rather boring encounter between the two sides with tons of aimless football, the ball going wide and the defences able to intercept. Such a match was due the fact that both sides knew very little about each other, so both sides took a rather defensive approach.

Dempo were the more defensive of the two sides and allowed Duhok to build-up on a number of occasions. One such build-up was stopped by Valeriano Rebello by a foul just outside the box which resulted in a free-kick. Duhok's Khaled Musher Ismail would score the only goal of the match in the 19th minute with a nicely placed shot into the far corner of the net.

Dempo thereafter did try to create chances, but it just wasn't their day as they once had one shot close to target of Joaquim Abranches while goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani had to come to Dempo's rescue a few times.

After the break Armando Colaco changed his strategy by pulling Kalu back into defence while Micky Fernandes took his place in midfield, but though Dempo looked better they simply didn't look like they wanted to score and win the game. Ranty Martins Soleye did have a couple of chances but they were wide, while Duhok also weren't that threatening though they continued to have more from the game.

One can only hope Dempo SC was resting itself for the hectic week ahead in the I-League with three matches in six days, then they can still win the I-League title.


DEMPO SC

33-Laxmikant Kattimani; 18-Valeriano Rebello, 3-John Charles Dias (46' 20-Micky Fernandes), 24-Samieinia Rouhollah, 16-Samir Naik; 17-Joaquim Abranches, 6-Peter Carvalho, 8-Climax Lawrence, 12-Ogba Kalu Nnanna, 15-Clifford Miranda; 9-Ranty Martins Soleye