Reigning champions Dempo Sports Club continued their impressive run of form when they scored a convincing 3-1 win over Mohammedan Sporting to move to the fourth spot in the 10th ONGC National Football League in Margao on Wednesday.
Dempo, who led 1-0 at half-time, scored through Samir Naik (6th), Isfaq Ahmed (54th) and Roberto Silva (64th).
Mohammedan Sporting reduced the margin through an own goal by Dempo's D Ravanan (48th).
Isfaq Ahmed was declared Man of the Match.
It was Dempo's third successive victory and took their tally to 19 points from 12 matches.
In contrast, it was the fourth straight loss for Mohammedan Sporting, who remained on 14 points from 13 games.
Dempo, who had beaten Sporting in the away leg too, took an early lead when Samir Naik took advantage of a faulty back pass by defender David Mkandwire to chip the ball over the advancing keeper Gopal Das in the sixth minute.
Eleven minutes later, Isfaq Ahmed missed a sitter as he failed to drive home on the run off a pass by Roberto Silva.
Mohammedan then took over and threatened the rival goal with a series of raids but somehow Dempo's defence managed to keep the slate clean.
Defender Raju Singh brought off a goal line save after the keeper, who had earlier made a brilliant save off Patrick, failed to grip the ball off a flag kick taken by Bijen Singh.
Dempo, who came up with snap raids in the closing stage of the first half, created three scoring chances but were unlucky, as Ranty Martins' header, off a measured cross by Samir Naik, hit the post.
Sporting found the equaliser in the 48th minute when D Ravanan scored an own-goal while trying to clear a loose ball off a cross by Patrick from the right.
Isfaq Ahmed, who linked well along with Martins, put Dempo in the lead again when he beat Gopal Das with a low drive to find the right corner in the 54th minute.
Roberto Silva then made the issue safe when he followed a lob by substitute Johny D'Cruz into the box to beat keeper Das with a deft placement.