Kozhikode (Kerala), India, April 7 (ANI): Dempo SC managed an impressive comeback from two goals behind to defeat Gokulam Kerala 4-3 at the EMS Corporation Stadium on Sunday. The teams were level 2-2 at halftime.

Thabiso Brown's (4', 11', 73') hat-trick on the final day wasn't sufficient for the home team, as they required both an outright victory and a defeat for Churchill Brothers to secure the championship. Ultimately, they failed to achieve even this requirement. Cristian Damian Perez (21', 90+4') found the back of the net twice, while Kapil Hoble (34') and Didier Brossou (71') both teams scored once each for Dempo.

Credit where due: In the initial phase of the match, Gokulam was dominant. From the get-go, they launched a fierce attack, and within just half a minute, VP Suhair attempted his first shot on target, maneuvering in from the left but sending the ball soaring over. This appeared to foreshadow what would follow.

They certainly did so. Just four minutes into the game, Gokulam went ahead when Thabiso Brown seized possession of a loose ball just outside the penalty box. He then overpowered Shaher Shaheen and executed a precise shot into the lower corner. This led to an explosion of jubilation among the substitutes on the sideline. By scoring this goal, Gokulam not only claimed the early advantage but also narrowed down the points difference at the summit of the league standings.

The situation improved for them after Real Kashmir took the lead against Churchill in Srinagar, which placed Gokulam in a strong position for claiming the championship. However, this news was insignificant at the opposite end of the country in Kozhikode. Despite this, Gokulam appeared confident and in control as Brown netted his second goal in the 11th minute, finishing off Ignacio de Loyola's cross within the six-yard area. This made their home team feel secure in their performance.

Suddenly, their engines stalled. This led to an extended phase of Dempo applying pressure, during which Rakshit Dagar made two impressive saves off corners. Then, in the 21st minute, Dempo finally broke through. After gaining possession upfield, they moved the ball efficiently among themselves until it reached Cristian Perez, who was waiting patiently. He unleashed a powerful drive that arced into the upper part of the net from just outside the penalty area.

In the 34th minute, everything was even as Marcus Joseph sent a spectacular cross to the far post, leaving Gokulam’s defense bewildered. A rushing Kapil Hoble simply needed to hit it in from around five yards away.

Gokulam needed to begin anew as halftime neared. In this crucial moment, Ashish Sibi made an impressive save against Suhair’s near-post header but could only direct the ball towards De Loyola. The Spanish player struck his volley flawlessly, yet it hit the post instead of finding the net. Moments before the break, they nearly scored during additional time when once more, Sibi stretched fully to block a certain headed goal. This eventful period concluded with both sides level on the scoreboard.

Throughout the second half, just like he has done all season, Sibi’s heroic efforts helped keep Dempo on equal terms initially. One of his finest moments occurred at around the 60th minute when he managed to push away a powerful near-range header from de Loyola, which was heading for the center of the goal, onto the crossbar and then out. Following this, after taking the resulting corner kick, Dempo narrowly prevented a goal with a clearance off their own goal-line.

Further up north, Churchill’s equalizer once more altered the balance of play, causing Gokulam’s progress to falter just a bit. As before, their destiny has slipped out of their complete control. The situation deteriorated even more in the 64th minute as Mashoor Shereef received his second yellow card, leading to his dismissal from the game and leaving the home team with only ten players.

Dempo effectively utilized their numerical superiority, Didier Brossou Perez delivered an excellent cross for the header that slammed home, giving them a 70th-minute advantage. However, this lead was short-lived as Brown scored off a rebound from a corner kick just two minutes later, leveling the score for the host team.

Gokulam surged ahead en masse, aiming to determine a victor and, at the minimum, contribute to the exciting conclusion of the match. I-League Season. Dempo seized an opportunity with their attacking approach and, during the final moments of injury time, initiated a counterattack to dash their faint chances of a comeback.

Initially, Nesto Dias managed to score after saving a shot from substitute goalkeeper Shibinraj Kunniyil. He then set up the play for Perez, who confidently struck the ball with the outer part of his foot into the upper corner. This marked their second lead of the game, which they maintained until the end, securing all three points. (ANI)