The Hindu : Sport / Football : Cristiano's demise dampens Dempo's win

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Monday, Dec 06, 2004

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Sport - Football

Cristiano's demise dampens Dempo's win

By Avinash Nair

DEATH BLOW FOR DEMPO: Cristiano Junior, who collapsed soon after scoring the second goal, being attended to by team-mates Ronty Martins and R.C. Prakash in the Federation Cup final in Bangalore on Sunday. - Photo: Sampat Kumar G.P.

BANGALORE, DEC. 5. Dempo's celebrations died with Cristiano Junior. Or so it seemed for the 2-0 verdict that the Goan team inflicted on the famed Mohun Bagan, to make it third time lucky in the 26th edition of the Federation Cup football tournament, was soon enveloped in the gloom of the death of the highly-skilled Cristiano Junior, who collapsed soon after scoring his and Dempo's second goal.

The goodly Sunday gathering at the Sree Kanteerava stadium was stunned as Dempo, twice runner-up to East Bengal in 1996 and Mohun Bagan in 2001asserted itself in the midfield which paved the way for its maiden title triumph.

The pre-match euphoria was mixed. Bagan on its sheer past record, having won the coveted title 11 times in 14 final appearances, did seem to be the favourites but on form it was Dempo which had the edge.

Midfield handicapped

Bagan's midfield looked terribly handicapped in the absence of Jerry Zirsanga, serving the mandatory suspension for two yellow cards, and Basudeb Mondal, in the injury list.

Amit Das clearly seemed out of this league and Mehtab Hussain who moved upfront just did not fill in the void left by Jerry. Roberto Silva did strive hard but lacked the support.

Dempo on the other hand seemed to have done its homework well. For a change the medios — Jose Colaco, Riston Rodrigues and captain Samir Naik played close on the heels of the forwards — Cristiano and Ronty — and to good effect.

The pace settled down after the initial exuberance and it was Bagan which twice looked to go ahead. First a Sunil Chettri left footer off a Roberto Silva through following a Majek Bolaji clearance was just off the mark and in the 40th minute a Rishi kapoor-Roberto Silva combine did see the latter head home but was ruled `off-side'.

Instant reaction

The Dempo recoil was instant as a Riston Rodrigues floater into the box was headed home by Cristiano in great style, even as Subrata Paul in the Bagan goal just could not stop the ball entering the net.

Bagan was reduced to 10 men when pony-tailed Noel Wilson was shown the red card by referee M. Balu (Karnataka) for retaliation well into the second session and the second goal and the tragedy soon followed. Cristiano, off a long ball from his own half from Jose Colaco, advanced a few paces and deftly placed into the net past an onrushing goalkeeper Subrata Paul.

Cristiano was seen moving towards the far flag-post in celebration and then collapsed, never to rise again.

Bagan was denied a genuine penalty by referee Balu when Roberto Silva was felled inside the box by Melvin Rodrigues but all that seemed to be buried soon after the long whistle.

Dempo celebrated its triumph but its joy was cut short at the news of the Cristiano's tragic death.

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