Dempo have I-League crown within grasp

Dempo were virtually crowned as I-League champions after they scored a resounding 2-0 win over Air India in a 24th round match at the Nehru stadium in Margao, Goa, on Wednesday.

In a match they dominated completely, Dempo scored through Joaquim Abranches (63rd minute) and Ranty Martins (67th).

The victory took Dempo to 50 points from 24 matches, 12 clear of second-placed Mahindra United.

The only team that can challenge them now is third-placed Churchill Brothers (35 points in 21 matches).

Churchill need to win all their remaining five matches by big margins and hope that Dempo lose both their matches.

Meanwhile, the visitors, who remain on 25 points from 24 matches and are in danger of being relegated along with four other teams, require to win both their remaining matches.

Earlier, Air India adopted a cautious approach, packed more men in the defence and relied on counter moves to attack the rival goal.

Coach Yusuf Ansari's strategy worked in the first half as they kept the scoresheet blank, frustrating Dempo, who almost camped in their half but failed to breach the defense.

Beto, who tried to breach the defense with long overhead ball, tried a long ranger which sailed inches over the bar.

The trend continued in the second half and Dempo had to wait till the 63rd minute to find the net.

Martins, who got the ball on top of the box, got the better of two defenders and essayed a firm shot, which goalkeeper Arnab Das Sharma managed to block, only to find Abranches darting in to head the ball into the net.

Four minutes later, the Air India citadel fell again as Dempo earned a penalty after defender Khelemba Meitei tripped Abranches, who was about to take a shot at the goal from inside the box off a cross from Anthony Pereira from the right.

Martins converted the penalty, sending the ball past the goalkeeper to his left.

Martins nearly swelled the lead few minutes later but his well-directed shot was saved by the goalkeeper, who dived to his right in the 73rd minute.

Minutes later, Anthony Pereira was unlucky when his header hit the cross bar.

Dempo exerted more pressure and breached the defence frequently but were frustrated by goalkeeper Arnab, who denied Valeriano and substitute Peter Carvalho from scoring.

Referee Shaji Kurian showed yellow card to Air India's Arnab Das Sharma, Nepolean Singh, Syed Farid, substitute Behnam Foroughrad and Dempo's Clifford Miranda.