Dempo Sports Club held Diamond Harbour FC to a 1-1 draw in the Star Cement Indian Football League 2025-26 Championship Round at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda.
Marcus Joseph scored for Dempo SC. Hugo Rodriguez equalised for Diamond Harbour FC in added time. The draw confirmed Diamond Harbour FC as Champions of the Star Cement Indian Football League 2025-26.
Head Coach Samir Naik introduced two changes to the starting XI with Darell Mascarenhas and Arnold Oliveira coming in for Saiesh Bagkar and Vieri Colaco.
Dempo started with real intent, Sebastian Gutierrez was immediately prominent driving forward, applying pressure and testing Diamond Harbour at every opportunity. Amay Morajkar followed with a threatening run that kept goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh alert in the early exchanges, the Golden Eagles were on the front foot from the first whistle.
Ashish Sibi was called into action and responded with a sharp save to keep the scores level. The best chance of the first half came through a combination between Gutierrez and Joseph, a move that sliced open the Diamond Harbour defence only to be repelled at the last moment. The resulting corner brought another opportunity, a goal-bound effort cleared off the line by a Diamond defender. Gutierrez continued to be a menace from distance, one powerful strike flying inches wide of Dheeraj Singh's post.
Dempo held their shape, maintained their pressure and went into the break level at 0-0, a scoreline that did not reflect the intent they had shown throughout the half.
The second half produced the moment the Golden Eagles had been waiting for. Dempo earned a free kick and Marcus Joseph stepped up his initial effort cannoned into the Diamond Harbour wall before the follow-up flew into the net, leaving Dheeraj Singh with no chance. Dempo led 1-0.
The Golden Eagles pushed for a second. Arnold Oliveira delivered a dangerous corner into the box and Jose Moreno rose to meet it only for Dheeraj Singh to produce a brilliant stop and deny what would have been a commanding lead.
Diamond Harbour pressed for an equaliser as the game entered its final stages. Dempo's defensive unit stood firm and determined to protect what they had. It appeared the Golden Eagles would hold on.
Then, in added time, Hugo Rodriguez met a delivery with a header that gave Ashish Sibi no chance. The equaliser was brutal in its timing, but Diamond Harbour had kept coming and ultimately found their reward. The final whistle sounded with the scoreboard reading 1-1.
