I-League 2024-25: Dempo overcome Shillong Lajong challenge to register first win
Shillong: Former champions Dempo Sports Club clinched their first victory of the 2024-25 I-League season defeating Shillong Lajong FC 2-0 at the SSA Stadium on Saturday.
Pruthvesh Pednekar (53rd minute) and Matija Babovic (90th minute) were the scorers, securing a vital away win for Dempo. Samir Naik’s men were held to a goalless draw in the first game against Aizawl FC.
Shillong Lajong, on the other hand, faced a setback on their home ground after a spirited comeback in their first match of the season, where they salvaged a draw against Churchill Brothers despite a two-goal deficit. Unfortunately, they could not replicate that resilience in this game.
Dempo adopted a defensive strategy similar to their previous match, focusing on maintaining a compact formation that was soaked in Lajong’s attacks. This approach kept them in the game during the first half where genuine scoring opportunities were scarce for both sides. However, Dempo did have a moment just before the half-time whistle when Babovic nearly broke through with a grounded shot that was saved by Lajong’s goalkeeper Neithovilie Chalieu.
The second half saw a shift in dynamics as Dempo became more assertive. Their change in approach quickly bore fruit when Pruthvesh Pednekar headed in a corner from Cristián Damian Perez in the 53rd minute. Although Chalieu managed to get a hand to it, the power and direction of the header were too much to handle, giving Dempo the lead.
As the match neared its conclusion, Dempo confirmed their dominance when Babović spectacularly scored in the 91st minute. From the right side of the field, Babović unleashed a formidable shot that swerved deceivingly, evading Chalieu and smashing into the top right corner of the net and giving the Goan giants an unassailable lead.