By IANS
New Delhi : India’s inaugural I-League football tournament is heading for an exciting finish. With two rounds remaining, Goan clubs Dempo and Churchill Brothers are tied at the top with 32 points, but the former have a better goal difference.
Last year’s National League champions Dempo have a +19 goal difference as against Churchill’s +15. The winner may not emerge till the last round of games on Feb 23.
Dempo, however, are better placed as they will be playing bottom-ranked Salgaocar in the penultimate round Saturday, while Churchill should have a slightly tougher outing against Sporting Clube de Goa in Margao Sunday. In the last round, Dempo play Viva Kerala and Churchill take on Air India. On current form, neither Goan club should encounter stiff resistance.
Former champions Salgaocar and newly promoted Viva Kerala are on the verge of relegation. For Salgaocar this will be the second time in three years as they have managed just one win from the 16 matches played so far.
Given Salgaocar’s form, Dempo will have a good chance to take the lead over Churchill. Durand Cup winners Churchill will be looking to their star striker Nigerian star Odafe Onyeka Okolie who is the leading league scorer with 19 goals.
For Churchill, it will be a tough battle against Sporting Clube de Goa, as the latter are well known for their giant-killing acts.
Dempo could have managed to win the title by now, but some bad luck in the last three rounds kept them on the tenterhooks. Till the 11th round, the former champions had a firm grip on the title.
But in the last five rounds, they have managed just one win and that too a close one against JCT, Phagwara. And shocking defeats at the hands of lowly East Bengal and mid-table Mahindra United have done Dempo’s cause no good.
After the 16th round, Churchill Brothers caught up with Dempo on points by beating East Bengal and the leaders drawing with Mohun Bagan.
Churchill have been juggling between the second and the third place and in the last five rounds they have performed extremely well with four wins and a loss. They have also extended their lead by three points over third placed JCT.
Former champions East Bengal are still hanging by the skin of their teeth and may well avoid relegation by heating ninth-placed Viva Kerala in the penultimate round.