Pune: Striker Ranty Martins starred with a double strike as Dempo Sports Club regained the top position in the I-League table, comfortably defeating a 10-man Air India 3-1 in a round-15 clash on Wednesday.
After a goalless first-half at the Balewadi Sports Complex, Ranty Martins was in the thick of action and scored two goals in the 56th and 88th minutes after having missed a penalty early in the match, while fellow striker Koko Sakibo scored one in the 77th minute as Dempo showed that the loss at home to the same team in December was just an aberration.
For Air India, Sandeep Sangha reduced the deficit in injury time, bringing some consolation.
Air India, who survived a scare early on in the game after Dempo missed the penalty, took advantage and attacked them with full force. Henry Ezeh and Sandeep Sangha created two chances up front but Ezeh wasted the efforts.
After the break, Dempo decided to go for the kill. The Goans took the lead through Ranty Martins when he forced the ball in on Cressan Antao's pass.
Dempo then began to control the pace of the match, passing well, with Koko and Ranty wreaking havoc up front.
Trinidad and Tobago's Denzil Theobald then set up Koko Sakibo, who slotted the ball in to the left of the overworked Pawan in the 77th minute.
Ranty then rounded off the tally when he took advantage of a mix-up in the rival defence as Koko and Ranty toyed with the ball before finding the back of the net in 88th minute.
Air India now have 20 points from 15 matches, while Dempo lead the league with 33 points from the 15 games they have played.
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