I-League: Abranches scores a brace in Dempo's 2-1 win

Joacquim Abranches scored one goal in each half as defending champions Dempo SC reclaimed the top position with a facile 2-1 win over Pailan Arrows at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday.

Not only Dempo returned to the winning ways after their 1-5 debacle in Pune the Goans also returned to lead the table with 28 points after 12 rounds.

The AIFF developmental outfit, playing without any foreigner, reduced the margin at the stroke of half-time and put pressure but could not get another goal.It was their fifth loss after 11 matches to be at seventh in the table with 14 points.

Dempo drew first blood in the 10th minute when Abranches snatches the ball from Arrows goalkeeper Ravi Kumar with a fine dribble before tapping it into an empty net

.Milan Singh converted from the spot kick in the 43rd minute to bring in the equaliser.

But the Goans settled the issue with Abranches completing his brace, 13 minute after the break to earn three points from the away match.

Santosh Kashyap could not have asked for a better start as the newly appointed coach of relegation-threatened ONGC saw his team drub Shillong Lajong 3-0 in New Delhi.

The bottom-placed outfit continued their good form at home, defeating an out of sorts Lajong at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Foreigners Yusa Katsumi and Eric Brown notched up five star performances with the latter bagging the Man-of-the-Match award for his outstanding display.

Brown opened the floodgates for the hosts in the 19th minute, picking up a C Kenistan ball from the left flank to slot home past the diving Lajong custodian.

Katsumi doubled the lead early on in the second half when he brilliantly dodged past his marker to slam home his first of the match.

The Japanese playmaker capped off what has been a good day in office for him, ten minutes from full time. Playing one two with Brown, Katsumi outfoxed the goalkeeper expertly to seal the lopsided contest.

The visitors had their moments but failed to make the most of whatever little came their way.

Courtesy this resounding win, ONGC are now out of the drop zone with 10 points from 12 outings. Lajong remain eighth with 13 points from 12 encounters.

Sudanese striker James Moga scored on either side of the break as Pune FC kept up the momentum of wins by beating Prayag United SC 3-1 in Pune.

Othallo Tabia scored the other goal for Pune FC as the home team dominated the proceedings right from the start even though Prayag United tried its best to get even with their in-form opponents.

CK Vineeth struck soon after resumption, but that was the only goal the Kolkata side could find on a chilly evening at the Balewadi Stadium.

The full points for Pune FC helped the home team rose up to the No 3 position with 23 points from 11 matches, while Prayag stay at No 5 with 17 points from 12 matches.