Now or never for Dempo

The Goan club hope to overturn the one-goal deficit against Safa FC going into the second leg  in Hyderabad tonight

MUMBAI: For someone who has been a follower of the club since childhood and having played for them for years, guiding the team to the semifinals of the AFC Cup as a coach will certainly be a proud achievement. Armando Colaco has been through all the tough times with Dempo SC - be it the on-field death of Cristiano Junior or the proposed disbanding of the club.

Dempo will have their task cut out when they take on Safa FC on Tuesday - they have to win by a margin of two goals at least to ensure a final berth. “Today is the biggest day of my life. It’s been a great run for us so far in the Cup and I hope we put up a winning performance tomorrow,” Colaco told DNA after his team’s practice at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday.

Unfortunately, Colaco is down with fever and his assistant Mauricio Afonso will stand-in for him. “But hopefully he (Colaco) will be on the sidelines tomorrow, he is such an inspiration,” Afonso said.

Dempo are one goal down going into the second leg on Tuesday after having lost 0-1 to the Lebanese side in the first leg which was played on October 7 in Beirut. “We have to score early in the match and negate their advantage. We cannot afford to sit back and wait for an opportunity to come our way. We have to attack and ensure that we don’t concede,” the coach said.

Safa coach Samir Saad believes the pressure is now on Dempo after the first leg. “The pressure will be on them as they have to win the game while we have two chances - to go for a win or force a draw. But we will go for another win as it is dangerous to play for a draw,” he was quoted saying on the Asian Football Confederation website.

Both teams have a player suspended and injury to star midfielder Roberto da Silva (Beto) too would be a cause of concern for Dempo. “Beto will start the match tomorrow. He did well in training today and looks fit to play,” captain Climax Lawrence confirmed.

Miranda Clifford won’t be available for selection for the hosts after he was booked in the first leg of semifinals and in quarterfinals against Home United, while Amer Khan of Safa picked up two cautions in previous matches against Perak FC (quarterfinals) and then Dempo in the first leg.

Lack of floodlight facilities saw Dempo’s home match shifted from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao to Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad. A lot will depend on how Lawrence, Ranty Martins and Beto perform if Dempo are to win. “It’s an important game for us and I just wish we create history,” Lawrence said.