Pune FC staged their second consecutive come back holding Dempo SC 1-1 in an I-League Round-11 encounter at the Duler Stadium, Mapusa in Goa on Wednesday.

Having finished with a similar result five days back against Salgaocar FC, Pune FC found striker Riga Mustapha (51st) cancel the Goan team’s scorer Roberto Silva Beto’s 47th minute strike.

In splitting points, Pune FC finished their double-header Goan halt claiming two points. However, the one-point helped Pune FC (18 pts) go level with Salgaocar FC and Bengaluru FC at the top of the table and rest in second spot.

Pune FC, with a match in hand, holds the head-to-head advantage over Bengaluru having beaten them at home earlier, but against Salgaocar FC whom they drew against a superior goal difference by the Goans holds Pune FC from leading the table.

Coach Mike Snoei made just one change to the squad as defender Calum Angus returned to the starting lineup replacing Salam Ranjan Singh.

The game began with Dempo SC pushing forward but they were denied by Pune FC custodian Amrinder Singh who produced couple of saves in the first ten minutes. First he blocked a try from Joy Ferrao and later denied Prabir Dhar.

At the other end, midfielder Arata Izumi created Pune FC’s first chance but saw his attempt blocked by the Dempo defense.

Thereafter, both teams settled into the game and began constructing moves. Pune FC once again went close, this time though striker Riga, whose attempt was blocked by defender Selwyn Fernandes.

With both teams failing in the final third with their finishing, the first half ended goalless.

The second half was a completely different story. Dempo SC took the lead almost instantly – two minutes in – as Beto pounced on the loose ball and scored after striker Holicharan Narzary slipped in a pass from the right past defender Srikanth Ramu to catch the defense off guard and allow the Goan medio score ahead of a valiant attempt by Anas Edathodika.

However, Pune FC pulled back a goal within four minutes. Playmaker Douhou Pierre worked up a square pass to Riga 30-yards out. The striker did well to control, move past a couple of defenders and slot home the equalizer, but not before Dempo custodian Laxmikant Kattimani got a hand to it.

Two quick goals saw both teams pressing each other hard.  The hosts went close once again ten minutes into the half.  With Pune FC custodian Amrinder advanced, Nazary’s long range attempt went agonisingly close.

Coach Snoei then brought in striker Thongkhosiem Haokip and medio Shanmugam Venkatesh in place of Mumtaz Akhtar and James Meyer.

As the half progressed, Pune FC continued to push forward however they kept loosing too many balls in the midfield. Meanwhile at the other end, Amrinder produced another couple of saves to keep Dempo at bay.

In the final ten minutes, Pune FC once again went close. Douhou picked up a lose ball on the right before moving up and squaring off to Riga. However, the striker’s left footed grounder went wide.

Into the final minutes of the game, Pune FC survived two close calls. First substitute Alwyn George – on for Clifford Miranda – headed Beto’s cross onto the post. And later in injury time, medio Peter Carvalho agonisingly headed wide in front of goal from Beto’s corner.

Pune FC however held on for the third draw of the season.