Dempo eye maiden AFC Cup semis berth

NEW DELHI: I-League champions Dempo, hoping to become the first Indian club to make it to the semi-finals of the AFC Cup, would look to make amends for their profligacy in Hyderabad when they take on Home United in the quarter-final return leg tie in Singapore on Tuesday.
Dempo squandered a golden opportunity to win their AFC Cup home match played in Hyderabad as the Nehru Stadium in Margao does not have floodlights.
They dominated the encounter but trailed early into the match and had to wait till the 78th minute to get the equaliser for a 1-1 draw.
They can ill-afford to repeat that performance in their away match at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
"My strikers will have to convert the chances that come their way," Dempo coach Armando Colaco said from Goa just before departing for Singapore.
They will have to win or at least draw 2-2 to make it to the last four stage of the competition meant for "developing countries" of the continent.
A goalless draw will see the Singapore side through to the semi-finals on away goal rule.
In case the match finishes 1-1 in regulation time, the issue will have to be thrashed in extra time as both sides will be on even keel on goal difference and away goals.
If the game is tied 1-1 even after extra time, penalty shootout will have to be enforced to decide the winner.
But if Ranty Martins and Mboyo Iyomi get going, then Dempo may not have to wait that long.
The African duo will have to shrug off their shyness in front of the goal and utilise the service provided by Roberto Mendes Silva and Climax Lawrence against the two-time Singapore League champions, known as the Protectors by their fans.
Armando Colaco's charges would do well to take inspiration from their 2-1 away win in the preliminary round over 2006 AFC Cup runners-up and this edition's quarter-finalists, Al Muharraq of Bahrain, that put the I-League champions on track for a last-eight berth after suffering two straight defeats.
The scorer of both goals in that match - Ranty Martins - will have to fire again on Tuesday if Dempo have to book a semi-final berth after failing to make it to the last-four stage in their two earlier attempts in 2005 and 2006.
His strike partner Iyomi, who scored the lone goal for Dempo in Hyderabad, will have to think of ways to beat Singapore goalkeeper Lionel Lewis who denied the Congolese a couple of times in the first leg.
Home United were in good form in the domestic league and were in second place, a point behind leaders and another AFC Cup quarter-finalist Singapore Armed Forces.
They too would be keen to make it to the last four for the second time after the 2004 edition.
The Dempo coach expressed satisfaction with the 1-1 draw in Hyderabad, saying his side dominated proceedings and could have won had the strikers been on target.
"We missed at least 10 scoring chances though the number included those saved by the goalkeeper. We were clearly the better side in Hyderabad. Even though we are playing at their home (in Singapore), I still feel that we will have the upper hand," Colaco said.
"All the players are geared up for the match. They know that a win will help us become the first club in the country to make it to the AFC Cup semi-finals," Colaco added.
Asked about the game plan he would employ against Home United, he said, "We will play attacking football, the same as we did in Hyderabad. There is no point playing for a draw. In Hyderabad our forwards wasted chances and their goalkeeper made a couple of good saves. But these things do not happen every day. I hope my forwards will not repeat Hyderabad's mistakes in the crunch game."
The coach said he has a fit squad at his disposal. "There are no injury worries, everybody is in fine fettle. (Key defender) Mahesh Gawli played well in Hyderabad after little football in many months. So we are hoping to win against Home United."
The squads:
Dempo: Abhijt Mondal, John Dias, Climax Lawrence (C), Ranti Martins, Roberto Mendes Silva, Anthony Perreira, Clifford Miranda, Samir Naik, Valeriano Rebello, Mboyo Iyomi, Mahesh Gawli, Creson Antao, Nascimento Silveira, Joaquim Abranches, VP Sathish Kumar, Nicolau Borges, Dominic Noronha, Joe Rodrigues.
Home United: Mohammad Farhan, Indra sahdan Daud, Juma'at Jantan, Subramani Shanmugham (C), Valery Hiek, Kengne Ludovick, Syed Mohammad Fadhil, Mohammad Rosman Sulaiman, Tengku Mushadad, Lionel Lewis, Peres De Oliviera, Mohammad Rizuan Fatah, Shukor Zailan, MOhammad Nur Azreen, Ram Shankar, Mohammad