Fatorda, April 8: Dempo Sports Club achieved its first victory of the Indian Football League (IFL) 2025-26 season by defeating Shillong Lajong FC 3-0 on Tuesday. The match took place at the PJN Stadium in Fatorda, Goa, with goals from Marcus Joseph, Kapil Hoble, and Richmond Kwasi Owusu.
Throughout the match, Shillong Lajong maintained more possession of the ball but failed to convert their opportunities into goals. Dempo’s disciplined defense played a crucial role in securing the win. With this result, Dempo SC now has a total of 6 points, while Birendra Thapa’s team remains in fourth place with 11 points.
Samir Naik’s team started aggressively, testing Shillong’s defense early on. The first goal came in the sixth minute when Lajong defender Rudra Ved cleared the ball from the edge of the box. Marcus Joseph skillfully controlled the ball and struck a powerful shot with his left foot, giving Dempo the lead.
The “Golden Eagles” doubled their advantage in the 24th minute. After a cross from left-back Saish Bagkar, goalkeeper Siwel Rimbai hesitated, allowing the ball to deflect off Kapil Hoble and into the net, making the score 2-0.
Before halftime, Shillong attempted a comeback, with Frangi Buam coming closest to scoring, but his header was pushed over the crossbar by Dempo’s goalkeeper Ashish Sibi. Dempo went into halftime with a comfortable lead.
After the break, Dempo maintained their momentum. In the 53rd minute, Dempo was awarded a penalty when Rimbai fouled Bagkar inside the box. Richmond Kwasi Owusu stepped up and converted the penalty in the 55th minute, extending Dempo’s lead to 3-0.
Shillong Lajong pushed forward in search of a consolation goal, creating a few half-chances through substitutes and set pieces, but they failed to capitalize. In the closing moments of the match, Dempo had opportunities to increase their score. Substitute players Cristian Damian Perez and Sebastian Gutierrez both came close to scoring, but the score remained unchanged.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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