Picture courtesy: I-League Media

In the Goan Derby which lived up to expectation, Sporting Clube de Goa was held to a 2-2 draw by Dempo Sports Club in a Hero I-League encounter at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Saturday. The match was tied 1-1 at the lemon break.

Sporting Goa handed Victorino Fernandes the captain’s armband as Anthony Wolfe did not start the game, after not fully recovering from a shoulder injury. Victorino led by example with a brave header to equalize. The Flaming Oranje thought they had done enough when Odafe Okolie netted his first goal for his new club, but there was still a twist in the tale.

Afghanistan captain Zohib Haroon Amiri marked his return from international duty with a splendid brace. Amiri gave Dempo the lead in the first half and later earned his side a point after equalizing at the death. Amiri was given his opening goal on a platter, when the Sporting Goa custodian Lalit Thapa spilled the ball from a Jewel Raja Sheikh corner kick, which allowed Amiri to pounce and fire in the opener. Sporting Goa created good chances and the question on everybody’s mind was when would they finally take advantage and convert.

Sporting Goa’s Odafe Okolie had an instinctive header saved and moments later he slipped the ball through for Victorino but he could not find an opening. Syrian international Mahmoud Al Amna also came close when he hit the side netting.

Sporting Goa could not have scripted it better when Mahmoud chased a loose ball down the right side and spun it in for Victorino to head it into the back of the net and equalize deep into injury time of the first half.

Twenty minutes into the second session as Dempo resorted to aggression to keep Odafe at bay he still managed to carve out an opportunity. Hero of the Match Cajetan Fernandes floated in a neat corner kick with Odafe rising highest to thump home with his head.

Just as Sporting Goa was on the verge of registering their first victory of the season, Amiri popped up to head over the Sporting Goa goalkeeper Lalit Thapa and level things up in the 89th.