JOIN USDempo ride on Martins' twin strikes
Dempo’s Anwar Ali cancelled Abhishek Yadav’s 25th minute strike but Ranty Martins struck twice in the second half to put Dempo ahead 3-1.
Yadav reduced the margin for the Mumbai side in injury time.
Dempo had the first chance to take the lead in the seventh minute but Nidhinlal AC blocked an Anthony Pereira shot and off the rebound, Jerry Zirsanga shot straight at the keeper.
Mumbai Football Club went ahead in the 23rd minute from a penalty. Dempo defender John Dias pulled down Abhishek Yadav and referee Pratap Singh pointed at the penalty spot which he himself converted.
Unpreturbed by the setback, Dempo regrouped and equalised two minutes later. Valeriano Rebelo from the right floated the ball into the box off a free kick which defender Anwar Ali finished with a clinical header, the ball hit the inner edge of the post and found the net leaving the scores 1-1 at half time.
Dempo went ahead three minutes into the second half courtesy a penalty. Defender Anas Edathodika was fouled for handling the ball inside the box and Ranty Martins duly converted the spotkick.
Martins scored his second goal in the 90th minute off a cross from Anthony Pereira. Mumbai, who did not lose heart, pulled one back in injury time through Abhishek Yadav.
Dempo continued to maintain top position with 29 points from 14 matches, four points clear from Mahindra United who are second. While Mumbai FC remained on 8th position with 18 points from 14 matches.
Bagan thrash Chirag
Mohun Bagan rode on Brazilian striker Jose Barreto’s sparkling hat-trick and Edeh Chidi’s double strikes to blank city rivals Chirag United 5-1 in their clash in Kolkata.
This was the first assignment for Bagan coach Satyajit Chatterjee, who passed the test with flying colours.
Bagan who went all out after the kick-off and opened the account in the 17th minute when Barreto converted a penalty.
The penalty was given when Bagan’s overlapping defender Manju was tackled by Arnab Mondal of Chirag inside the box.
Ten minutes after the first goal, Chidi collected a nice pass by Sueka and found the target easily.
After Barreto made it 3-0 following a corner by Marcos in the 35th minute and Chidi struck off Sueka again in the 42nd minute (4-0), the Brazilian completed his hat-trick capitalising on a nice through by Chidi (5-0).
The consolation goal for Chirag was scored through Joshimar in the 90th minute.
With this victory, Bagan joined Chirag at the third spot with both on 23 points from 14 matches.