I-League: Dempo hold Mohun Bagan

Kolkata, April 1 (IANS) Dempo Sports Club held Mohun Bagan 2-2 in a crucial I-League clash at the Salt Lake Stadium Sunday. The draw helped Dempo top the table with 47 points with Mohun Bagan at 39 points.

Dempo surged into the lead in the fourth minute. However man-of-the-match Odafa Okolie's brace -- goals in the 26th and the 33rd minute -- put Bagan in the lead by interval.

Changing over, against the run of play, Dempo's Koko Sakibu pulled it back in the 77th minute.

Almost immediately after the match kicked off, Dempo earned a penalty. Bagan defender Syed Rahim Nabi handled the ball in the box. Ranti Martins gleefully converted from the spot.

Inspired, Ranti created havoc in the Bagan half -- Kingshuk Debnath earned himself a yellow card in the 11th minute for a foul on the striker. But Bagan regrouped fast.

In the 23rd minute, Jose Ramirez Barreto's shot was handled in the rival box but Odafa Okolie, who stepped up to take the penalty succeeded in only hitting the post.

However, Odafa made amends three minutes later. Receiving a Sunil Chhetri pass, he powered his way past Samir Naik, rounded past rival goalkeeper Subhasis Rohchowdhury to slot it home.

Soon he made it 2-1. This time, he sidestepped Mahesh Gawli and pulled the trigger to bulge the net in the 33rd minute as Mohun Bagan led 2-1 at the interval.

In the second half Dempo brought in Jouquim Abranches for Clifford Miranda and after some anxious moments in their box, the Goan giants pulled it back in the 77th minute.

Martins flicked on a long ball from Climax Lawrence to Koko Sakibo who calmly slotted it to the left of rival goalkeeper Shilton Paul.

During the fag end, Shilton managed to palm away a Lawrence shot from close and luckily for Bagan, Anthony Pereira blasted the rebound over the bar.