Tolgay Ozbey’s 78th minute strike was the difference as Dempo Sports Club got the better of Mohammedan Sporting Club in the Round 22 Airtel I-League clash at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa, on Saturday.

Dempo were far from their best and Mohammedan Sporting did not challenge them either with Tolgay deciding the match in his team’s favour with a 77th minute strike.

The Australian striker, who started with Mohammedan at the start of the season, missed a penalty in the first session.

Dempo were stronger on paper today than the previous match which they lost against Salgaocar FC after welcoming suspended players like Clifford Miranda and Simon Colosimo. Tolgay himself was left on the bench in the last game but against Mohammedan he was declared fit to start.

Ozbey had a penalty shout turned down inside the first ten minutes when he went down in the box under a challenge from Sandeep Sangha. The referee was not interested but in the 39th minute the referee was left with no choice but point at the spot as Rakesh Masih brought Tolgay down in the box.

Tolgay stepped up to take the penalty but Mohammedan goalkeeper Luis Barreto came up with a good save. The resultant ball fell at the feet of Romeo Fernandes but the youngster came up with a poor attempt as Dempo’s hunt for the opening goal continued.

Mohammedan Sporting were playing second fiddle and did not have their first chance at breaking the deadlock till the half-way mark. Penn Orji somehow found himself in a good position inside the Dempo goal but the Nigerian’s effort was thwarted by the rival goalkeeper.

In the second session, Clifford Miranda and Tolgay went close before the Australian striker had the last laugh in the 78th minute when he scored of a rebound after the rival goalkeeper had done well to keep Clifford’s strike away.

The win took Dempo to the top five spot with 28 points from 20 matches while Mohammedan Sporting find themselves in trouble after accumulating just 17 points 19 matches. Churchill Brothers are at the bottom with 15 points from 17 matches.

(Report & Picture courtesy AIFF Media)