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Hugo Diaz Strike Seals Historic First IFL Win for Diamond Harbour FC

Diamond Harbour FC secured a landmark first-ever Indian Football League victory with a 2-1 win over Dempo SC at Kalyani Stadium. Antonio Moyano broke the deadlock with a clever scoop in first-half stoppage time, before Marcus Joseph equalized for Dempo with a superb solo effort in the 55th minute. The decisive moment came in the 70th minute when substitute Bryce Brian Miranda's cross found Hugo Diaz Rodriguez, who finished clinically to restore the lead. Dempo hit the crossbar late on, but Diamond Harbour held firm through seven minutes of added time to claim a historic three points.

Key Points: Diamond Harbour FC's First IFL Win: 2-1 vs Dempo SC

  • Historic first IFL win for Diamond Harbour FC
  • Antonio Moyano's brilliant scoop opened scoring
  • Marcus Joseph's solo effort equalized for Dempo
  • Hugo Diaz's 70th-minute winner sealed the victory
2 min read

Rodriguez strike secures Diamond Harbour's first ever IFL win

Diamond Harbour FC clinched their maiden Indian Football League victory, defeating Dempo SC 2-1 with a decisive 70th-minute goal from Hugo Diaz Rodriguez.

"Hugo Diaz Rodriguez was perfectly positioned to restore Diamond Harbour's lead with a clinical finish. - Press Release"

Kalyani, March 8

Diamond Harbour FC secured their first-ever Indian Football League 2025-26 victory after edging past Dempo SC 2-1 at the Kalyani Stadium on Sunday.

Antonio Moyano gave the home side the lead in added time of the first half. A second half strike by Marcus Joseph equalised the score and Hugo Diaz's strike in the 70th minute gave Diamond Harbour their first win, according to a press release.

Diamond Harbour head coach Kibu Vicuna made two alterations to his starting line-up from their previous outing, bringing in Hugo Diaz and Halicharan Narzary for Bryce Brian Miranda and Pintu Mahata. Dempo SC gaffer Samir Subash Naik made three changes to his side, handing starts to Jose Luis Moreno Pena, Amay Morajkar, and Knerkitalang Buam in place of Vieri Colaco, Richmond Kwasi Owusu, and Seigoumang Doungel.

Dempo created a couple of half-chances in the opening ten minutes, but Diamond Harbour soon regained control. The hosts dictated the tempo and heavily dominated possession throughout the first half, doing everything right except finding the back of the net.

The breakthrough finally arrived deep into first-half stoppage time (45+4') against the run of play. Catching Dempo off guard on a rapid counter-attack, Spanish midfielder Antonio Moyano produced a brilliant finish, executing a fantastic scoop over the goalkeeper to give Diamond Harbour a well-deserved 1-0 lead going into the break.

The second half proved to be a topsy-turvy affair as both teams hunted for goals. Dempo responded strongly and found their equaliser in the 55th minute. Trinidadian forward Marcus Leric Jr Joseph showcased his individual brilliance, expertly going past two defenders before slotting home a calm finish to make it 1-1.

Searching for a winner, Coach Vicuna made an inspired substitution that paid dividends just two minutes after the change. In the 70th minute, substitute Bryce Brian Miranda delivered a precise cross into the box, and Hugo Diaz Rodriguez was perfectly positioned to restore Diamond Harbour's lead with a clinical finish.

Dempo almost found a second equaliser in the 76th minute, but the crossbar came to Diamond Harbour's rescue to agonisingly deny Joseph a brace. With a hefty seven minutes of extra time added, the Goan outfit piled on the pressure, but the hosts held their nerve and defended resolutely to seal a historic 2-1 victory.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Great to see the IFL getting more competitive. Dempo is a strong Goan side, so this is a massive result for a newer team. The match sounded thrilling! But I do wish the article gave more credit to our Indian players like Halicharan Narzary who started. The foreign players often get all the headlines.
R
Rohit P
Heartbreak for Dempo! Hitting the crossbar in the 76th minute... that's just cruel luck. Marcus Joseph's goal was pure class though. Diamond Harbour defended like lions in those extra seven minutes. Proper nail-biting finish!
S
Sarah B
As a new follower of Indian football, I love reading about these dramatic matches. The mix of Spanish, Trinidadian, and Indian players makes the league so interesting. Congrats to Diamond Harbour FC on their historic first win!
V
Vikram M
Kalyani Stadium must have been electric! Nothing beats the feeling of your club's first-ever league win. Moyano's scoop finish before halftime sounds like a goal of the season contender. More matches like this, please! The IFL is slowly but surely capturing our imagination.
K
Karthik V
Good win, but let's be real, the quality of defending described here is a bit worrying. Dempo caught "off guard" on a counter? Defenders getting skinned by one player for the equaliser? IFL needs to focus on developing solid Indian defenders, not just flashy foreign attackers.

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