Martins brace spurs Dempo SC

 Ranti Martins scored a brace, including an injury time goal, as Dempo SC defeated Mumbai FC 2-0 to open a six-point lead at the top in the 18th round I League match at the Balewadi Sports Complex here on Wednesday.

With 40 points from 18 matches, Dempo are now sitting pretty at the top of the heap while Mumbai FC stay at 14 points from 18 matches after losing their sixth-straight match.

Nigerian striker Martins got two goals no doubt, but he was casual for most part of the match -- the first goal coming off a penalty while the second was a sitter with Mumbai FC goalkeeper Sanjiban Ghosh totally out of the picture.

Mumbai FC had themselves to blame for their poor show even though they were up against the best team in the I-League.

Ranti scored the first goal off a penalty to which he made no fuss and sent a right-footed low shot that rolled in.

Down 0-1, Mumbai FC tried to find an equaliser in vain as striker Ebi Sukore was woefully out of form. 

In the second half, Sukore created a chance with a somersault kick but his final shot was too feeble to unsettle Dempo custodian Subhasish Roy Chowdhury, who collected the ball effortlessly in the 48th minute.

 Four minutes were added into match and even as Mumbai FC showed urgency, they couldn’t find any opening, instead it was Dempo that chanced on a move from the right wherein Trinidadian Denzil Theobald got three defenders and Mumbai FC ‘keeper Ghosh attracted towards him before sending a pass to the unmarked Martins, who had all the time in the world to walk through the goal-line with the ball.

In Margao, Sporting Clube de Goa came from two goals down to score a 4-2 victory over Pune FC at the Nehru stadium. Two goals from Ogba Kalu (30th, 45th) and one apiece from James Moga (82nd) and Dawson Fernandes (90th) helped the Goan side to three points.

Pune got both their goals courtesy Mandjou Keita in the 8th and 21st. Sporting are now 8th with 27 points while Pune are a place and a point above them.