Sporting Clube de Goa prevailed over East Bengal by a solitary goal in the ONGC I-league ninth round match at Nehru Stadium in Margao on Saturday.
Adjei Lawrence scored the all-important goal in the 52nd minute after being fed by Micky Fernandes from the right.
Sporting, who notched up their second successive win on Saturday, now have nine points from nine matches while East Bengal have seven from nine games.
Sporting looked more thrustful in their attack, held more of the exchanges and had more scoring opportunities in the match which was crucial for both the teams which were lying seventh and eighth in the team standings before this match.
Elijah Obagbemiro sounded the first warning in the eighth minute when his powerful shot from inside the box was blocked by Kolkata side's goalkeeper Subrata Paul.
Three minutes later, Micky Fernandes' long ranger missed the target narrowly.
Earlier, one minute silence was observed in memory of former East Bengal captain Ashok Lal Banerjee who died on Thursday.