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The Whites have been the most successful Goan side in recent years as they have won two National Football League (NFL) titles and one Federation Cup in the past four years.
Last Season
Dempo’s best performance came last year when they won the NFL five points clear off the second placed JCT.
The season didn’t have a rosy start as they had lost to Mahindra United in the opener but came back well to claim the top spot.
Dempo’s problem last season was their defense as they would let in goals and inflict pressure on themselves. Luckily, for them strikers Ranti Martins and Beto were on fire throughout the season.
Clifford Miranda, Anthony Pereira and Samir Naik played key roles in Dempo second triumph in three years.
The Squad
Dempo offloaded striker Ishfaq Ahmed to Mohun Bagan and defender Bolaji to East Bengal.
The Goan club landed JCT’s prized asset in the summer transfer window, none other than Nigerian striker Chidi Edeh, who pelted 11 goals last season. The prolific striker has settled already and scored six goals for the Goan side in national tournaments so far.
He even scored a hat-trick against Chirag United in the Federation Cup.
Mahesh Gawli, labeled as the best defender India has produced in recent times, joined Dempo from Mahindra United.
Dempo got left winger Nicolau Borges from Sporting Club de Goa who would now serve as a cover for Clifford Miranda, who has been ruled out for the whole season.
With Ranti Martins and Chidi upfront, Climax, Beto , Jerry and Anthony Pereira in the midfield and Mahesh Gawli and Samir Naik at the back, the team indeed looks complete.
In Satish Kumar, Dempo have a safe pair of hands as well.
This season
Dempo lived upto their billing in the early matches of Federation Cup however, only losing to Mahindra United in the semifinals in a shootout.
The 120th Durand Cup is something that the team will want to forget like a bad dream. They lost to Air India in the quarterfinals despite dominating the match throughout.
They have only managed to win the Goan League despite having the best squad in country.
Dempo’s strikers have been scoring but the team does have a tendency to leave open spaces for the opposition to exploit, as they persistently go forward in their bid to score more.
Coach
If you think of the most successful coaches in recent years, one name is sure to come to mind – Mr.Armando Colaco.
Though Dempo do have star players, one cannot take the credit away from this man. His tactics have been the key to Dempo’s success.
Prediction
Dempo’s title defense campaign will not be easy as most teams have strengthened themselves for the inaugural I-League. However, the Whites continue to be firm favourites to win the title.




source:goal.com