Dempo knocked out of AFC Cup after loss to Duhok

New Delhi: Dempo Sports Club`s hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals of the AFC Cup came crashing

down after they lost to Iraqi club Duhok by a solitary goal in their round of 16 match in Duhok on Tuesday. Duhok scored the only goal of the match in first half and then managed to hold on to the lead till the referee blew the final whistle. However, despite missing several key players, Dempo produced a fighting performance and fought their opponents till the very end. But that was not enough for the Indian I-League club to eke out a victory at the Duhok stadium. Despite conceding a whopping 13 goals in two matches at one stage, Dempo managed to qualify after several results, not just their own, went in their favour. Brazilian midfielder Beto and experienced defender Mahesh Gawli missed the match due to suspensions while, while winger Debabrata Roy was not able to procure a visa. Like Dempo, Duhok also managed to qualify for the pre-quarterfinals after their final group game, but unlike their opponents they had 11 points in their kitty and three impressive wins. PTI