Mahindra United survived some anxious moments in the closing stage before registering a 2-1 victory over Haywards 2000 Sporting Clube 2-1 in an eighth National Football League match in Margao, Goa, on Wednesday.
With this victory the Mumbai team, which has 19 points from 11 outings, moved into second place behind Dempo, who have 21 points from 10 matches. Haywards have 15 points from 11 league encounters.
Haywards, who are playing the NFL first division for the first time, started on a promising note and were leading by a solitary goal at half-time through an injury time strike by Bibiano Fernandes.
But Mahindra came out firing on all cylinders after the break and were rewarded in the 79th minute when substitute S Venkatesh capitalised on a lapse by goalkeeper Richard Sanchez to restore parity.
Sanchez, who replaced injured Luis Barreto under the bar, was too nervous and needlessly charged out to collect a long pass from Raphael Patron to Venkatesh and missed the ball completely.
Minutes later, the hardworking Steven Dias guided the ball into the net after Sanchez had blocked Venkatesh's shot from inside the box to give Mahindra 2-1 lead.
Searching for an equaliser, Haywards attacked relentlessly at the rival goal and Mahindra's defence lived dangerously on three occasions in the last ten minutes as Dudu missed an open
Chance, and later Lawson and Covan Lawerence effected goal line saves off Francis Andrade's shots.
Mahindra, who rang in four changes today, started well holding possession in the first-half and made inroads into the rival goal with long overhead passes. But they met with stiff resistance from the rival defence, where Louis Aniweta stood tall.
Haywards suffered an early jolt when 'keeper Barreto got injured in the 18th minute while going for an aerial ball. Sanchez, who replaced Barreto, lacked confidence but managed to keep the ball out of danger following a shot by Jules.
Haywards, who were pushed on the backfoot in the first half, relied mostly on counter moves and nearly took the lead three minutes before the interval, but Khalid Jamil made a goal line save off Jerose Olivera's shot. Dudu, who was marked closely, twice managed to set himself free but lacked direction in finding the target.
After the change of ends, Haywards could have increased the lead but Dudu drove the ball straight to keeper Naseem Akhtar after he received it from Francis Andrade.
Mahindra made a counter move and Khalid Jamil's long ranger was parried by keeper Sanchez.
Dudu, who troubled a shaky Mahindra defence whenever he had possession of ball, relayed the ball to Oliveira but his shot deflected off keeper Akhtar and went out.