Qualifiers Army XI staged a brilliant comeback to wipe out a two-goal deficit and hold National Football League champions Dempo Sports Club of Goa to a 2-2 draw in the quarter-final league of the 118th Durand Cup football tournament at the Ambedkar stadium in Delhi on Friday.
Consequentially, the December 11 match between Dempo and Air India will now assume greater importance as it will decide which team makes it to the semi-finals.
In another match, five-time champions JCT, Phagwara, began their campaign with a facile 4-0 win over HAL, Bangalore.
Trailing 0-2 till the 74th minute, the Armymen reduced margin through Raghu Kumar before restoring parity when Ramachander struck in the 89th minute.
Earlier, Dempo took the lead through Ranty Martins in the 36th minute and went into the breather with a 1-0 cushion. Martins was at it again, as he scored in the 53rd minute to make it 2-0 for the favourites before the underdogs pulled up their socks and came back from behind walk away with a draw.
In the Group D encounter, Parveen Kumar struck three goals for JCT in the match dominated by his side from the start till the end.
The millmen, who led 2-0 at half time, took the lead in the ninth minute, after India international Rennedy Singh's corner found Marcos Pareira passing the ball to the unmarked Parveen, whose right footer went over HAL goalkeeper Gumpe Rime after hitting the ground into the net (1-0).
Parveen increased the lead in the 30th minute through another Rennedy corner. This time, Parveen headed after Julius Irabor Akpele gave him another headed pass inside the penalty box (2-0).
Two minutes later, the Bangalore team had a chance to reduce the margin, but skipper P Rajendra Prasad's running shot from top right corner of the penalty box went wide.
After the lemon break, JCT put more pressure on their rivals, which paid off with Sukhwinder Singh making it 3-0 in the 58th minute with a right footer from a Renedy pass from the top left corner of the box which beat the rival goalkeeper who dived to his left.
The millmen completed the tally in the 65th minute with Parveen completing his fine form and slotted a Sukhjinder Singh pass home.
The Bangalore lads made an allout attack for a goal, but their lack of experience in top flight competitions showed them fail in making openings even though they made a few good moves in the rival half.
Today's drubbing means, HAL are out almost of the tournamnet as they face holders East Bengal on December 11.
