Margao, March 07: Brazilian midfielder Rodrigo Mendes D'Silva has been registered to play for Dempo Sports Club in place of Mboyo Iyomi for the AFC Cup tie against Syria's Al Maged on Tuesday at Nehru Stadium here. Rodrigo is brother of Dempo's playmaker Roberto D'Silva.
Rodrigo is brother of Dempo's playmaker Roberto D'Silva. "We will be playing with three foreigners instead of two who played against Al Sharjah in the semi-finals of the AFC Championship League," said Dempo coach Armando Colaco.
The inclusion of Rodrigo in the midfield will be a boost for us as we will have the option of deploying Roberto D'Silva in front along with Nigerian Ranty Martins, he said.
"With the team having lost the chance of defending the I-League title, we are concentrating on the match against Al Maged," Colaco said.
"We have to do our best and secure an early goal to put pressure on them and win the match."
The 32-member Syrian team, including 12 officials, arrived here yesterday.