Dempo SC Hold Off Late Samaleswari Fightback to Secure Thrilling 2-1 Away Victory

Richmond Kwasi Owusu and Laximanrao Rane put the Golden Eagles in control before Kartik Choudhary's stunning 35-yard strike set up a tense finish in Rourkela.

Dempo Sports Club maintained their winning start to the 2026-27 Indian Football League (IFL) season with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Samaleswari SC at the Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium in Rourkela on Thursday. Goals from captain Richmond Kwasi Owusu and Under-22 midfielder Laximanrao Rane gave the Goan side a two-goal cushion before Kartik Choudhary produced a moment of brilliance to spark a late fightback from the hosts.

Despite Samaleswari's improved attacking intent in the closing stages, Dempo held their nerve to collect all three points away from home. The result also highlighted the visitors' ability to capitalise on opposition mistakes, while the hosts were left frustrated by their inability to convert early pressure into goals.

Playing in front of their home supporters in an all-orange kit, Samaleswari began with considerable attacking intent. Captain Jayesh Dilip Rane and Kiyam Amarjit Singh provided the midfield platform, while Jorge Rolando Pereyra Diaz, Ishan Pandita and Roshan Panna led the attacking line.

The hosts entered the Dempo half repeatedly during the opening 10 minutes, making at least six to seven forward entries and putting the visitors' defensive unit under pressure.

Dempo's backline, comprising Uzziel Yaw Asomaning Budu, Athul Unnikrishnan and Pruthvesh Pednekar, was kept busy. However, Samaleswari struggled to translate their promising approach into clear-cut scoring opportunities, with their finishing in the final third proving inadequate.

Against the run of play, Dempo broke the deadlock in the 28th minute.

Captain Richmond Kwasi Owusu intercepted a long ball, used his strength and movement to get past Shahid Nazir and calmly tapped the ball beyond goalkeeper Aaryan Anjaneya. The goal gave the Golden Eagles a 1-0 advantage and shifted the momentum of the contest.

Having absorbed the hosts' early pressure, Dempo grew in confidence after taking the lead. The visitors enjoyed a stronger spell of possession and managed the remainder of the first half effectively, heading into the interval with their advantage intact.

Laximanrao Rane doubles Dempo's lead

Dempo carried their momentum into the second half, taking advantage of misplaced passes from the home side to gain greater control of the midfield. The visitors looked increasingly comfortable in possession and found their second goal in the 58th minute through Laximanrao Rane.

The Under-22 midfielder latched onto a long ball, beat Shahid Nazir with a dribble and finished clinically past Anjaneya. The goal exposed further gaps in Samaleswari's defensive organisation, leaving the hosts with a two-goal deficit to overcome. The second goal also underlined Dempo's efficiency in transition. While Samaleswari had enjoyed more of the early attacking initiative, the Goan side had been considerably more decisive when opportunities presented themselves.

As the match moved beyond the hour mark, the hosts continued to struggle in the final third. Despite making repeated entries into attacking areas, Samaleswari had managed just one shot on target.

Dempo, meanwhile, remained composed. With Brazilian forward Cledson Carvalho Dasilva and Owusu keeping the opposition defence occupied, the visitors focused on retaining possession and protecting their two-goal advantage rather than committing additional players forward.

Just when Dempo appeared to have secured a comfortable victory, Samaleswari found a way back into the contest through an extraordinary individual effort. In the 82nd minute, young defender Kartik Choudhary spotted Dempo goalkeeper Subhajit Bhattacharjee slightly off his line. From approximately 35 yards out, Choudhary unleashed an audacious left-footed curling lob that sailed over the goalkeeper and into the net.

It was a spectacular strike that brought the home crowd to its feet and immediately changed the atmosphere inside the stadium.

The goal gave Samaleswari renewed belief, and the hosts began throwing players forward in search of an equaliser. With six minutes of stoppage time added, Dempo suddenly found themselves under sustained pressure. The most dramatic moment arrived in the 90+5th minute.

Samaleswari created their best opportunity of the match from a corner. The rebound fell invitingly in front of Moroccan defender Mohammed El Jaaouani inside the penalty area, leaving him with what appeared to be a straightforward close-range finish.

However, the defender failed to convert the opportunity, allowing Dempo goalkeeper Bhattacharjee to escape a major scare. The missed chance proved decisive as the visitors survived the remaining moments to secure the victory.

The 2-1 result gave Dempo another important three points and continued their positive beginning to the IFL campaign. For the Golden Eagles, the performance demonstrated their ability to remain disciplined under pressure and punish defensive mistakes, even when the opposition enjoyed a strong start.

Samaleswari will take encouragement from their late response, particularly Choudhary's remarkable strike, but their inability to convert early attacking pressure and the late opportunity from El Jaaouani will be major talking points.

Ultimately, Dempo's clinical finishing made the difference. Owusu and Rane provided the goals that established control, while the visitors' defensive resilience in the closing stages ensured that Choudhary's moment of brilliance did not change the outcome.

Match Result

• Competition: Indian Football League 2026-27

• Fixture: Samaleswari SC 1-2 Dempo Sports Club

• Venue: Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium, Rourkela

• Dempo scorers: Richmond Kwasi Owusu (28'), Laximanrao Rane (58')

• Samaleswari scorer: Kartik Choudhary (82')