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Dempo SC regained its top position of the league table after comfortably beating 10-man Air India 3-1 in the 15th
round I-League encounter at the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune on Wednesday.
Ranti Martins was in the thick of action and scored two goals in 56th & 88th minutes after having missed a penalty early in the match, while fellow striker Koko Sakibo scored a piece in 77th minute, as Dempo showed that the loss at home in December was just an aberration.
For Air India Sandeep Sangha reduced the deficit in injury time bringing in some consolation.
Initially missing a penalty by Dempo, Air India took advantage and attacked them with full force.
Henry Ezeh and Sandeep Sangha created two chances upfront but Ezeh wasted the efforts.
After the break, Dempo decided to go for the kill. Goans took the lead through Ranti Martins when he forced the ball in on Cressan Antao’s pass.
Dempo then began to control the pace of the match, passing well between the exchanges with Koko and Ranti wreaking havoc upfront.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Denzil Theobald then set up Koko Sakibo who slotted the ball in to the left of overworked Pawan in the 77th minute.
Ranti was again in a thick of a action when he took advantage of a mix-up in the rival defence as Koko and Ranti toyed with the ball before founding the back of the net in 88th minute.
Dempo are now at 33 points from 15 matches while Air India are stagnant at 20 points from 15 matches.
Man-of-the-match was awarded to Koko Sakibo (Dempo)
