Leaders Dempo, champ Salgaocar lose

After Churchill Brothers, East Bengal. That's how successive losses stack up for Dempo in I-League 5 but then statistics only tell half the story.

After Churchill Brothers, East Bengal. That's how successive losses stack up for Dempo in I-League 5 but then statistics only tell half the story.

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Against Churchill Brothers, Dempo missed their India players. At the Yuba Bharati Krirangan here on Thursday, they had everyone but after an entertaining contest, lost by the same scoreline.

In Margao, defending champions Salgaocar's insipid run continued when they lost 1-3 to Pune FC. This was Pune FC's first win in three away games. Goals from Penn Orji and Tolgay Ozbey helped East Bengal overcome Clifford Miranda's early strike and move to third in the standings with 19 points, two adrift of leaders Dempo. Churchill Brothers are on 20 points.

Salgaocar go down
A series of excellent saves in the second half fetched Pune FC goalie Abhra Mondal the Man-of-the-Match award in a match where Salgaocar had a strong appeal for penalty turned down in the first half.

Shanmugham Venkatesh drew first blood in Fatorda near Margao but the lead lasted five minutes as Ryuji Sueoka levelled scores. Mandhou Keita restored the lead, off a Venkatesh free-kick and substitute Jeje

Lalpekhlua rounded off the tally off an assist from Izumi Arata. Pune FC now have 14 points from nine rounds and Salgaocar stay on nine from as many games.