Ranty Martins scored a brace to guide Dempo to a 4-2 win over defending champs Churchill Brothers in the 17th round I-League tie on Saturday.
The win sent them to the top of the standings with 32 points while Churchill Brothers remain third at 26. JCT and Lajong FC also beat higher rated opponents at home while Sporting Clube de Goa won their first match of the I-League, shocking Mohun Bagan 2-1 in Kolkata.
Dempo went ahead in the 27th minute when Nicolau Borges split the defence with a through pass to Martins who took a defender in his stride and slammed home. Three minutes later, Climax Lawrence struck off a back pass from Martins. Churchill reduced the margin in the 38th after Felix Chimaokwu headed home Odafa Okolie’s cross after the ball deflected off the horizontal from Lalrindka Ralte’s free-kick.
Man-of-the-match Martins scored again in the 62nd minute. Later, Joaquim Abranches sealed it for Dempo in the 73rd minute. Okolie, though, got a goal in the very next minute.
On a comeback trail, Lajong FC won their second match in four of the second phase, all in Shillong. Seikhohau Tuboi headed in a James Giblee cross in the 73rd minute for a win.
But the biggest shock was reserved for Mohun Bagan after Sporting Clube de Goa stunned them 2-1. Mohun Bagan took the lead through Jose Barreto but Sporting Clube de Goa struck back through Adil Khan and Junior Elijah in both halves.
{{/usCountry}}But the biggest shock was reserved for Mohun Bagan after Sporting Clube de Goa stunned them 2-1. Mohun Bagan took the lead through Jose Barreto but Sporting Clube de Goa struck back through Adil Khan and Junior Elijah in both halves.
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