Substitute Uttam Rai helped Dempo SC to rally from behind to hold Bengaluru FC to a 1-1 draw in their I-League match played at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Margao, on Saturday.
The defending champions now are on 36 points and two points behind title favourites Mohun Bagan and would need to win their last match against the Kolkata giants in order to retain the I-League. Dempo brought in couple of fresh legs after conceding the goal, restored parity through substiute Uttam in the 77th minute.
While Dempo, who are fighting to survive relegation along with four other teams having 19 points from 19 matches, now need to win in their last match against Salgaocar on May 30th to save relegation.
Dempo knowing fully well that a win was important for their survival played without foreigners at the start showed lot of purpose and urgency in their attack and kept the pressure on the visitors with barage of moves but failed to find the net in the barren first half. They called early shots but rival keeper Lalchhuammawia Ralte did well to collect to Lenny Rodrigues couple of long ranger shots.
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Bengaluru FC defense was under constant pressure but did well not to concede a goal in the absence of John Johnson especially keeper Ralte who came out with good saves to deny Joy Ferrao, Francis Fernandes and Jewel Raja from scoring.
The visitors who needed a win to keep themselves in chase for the title after Bagan won on the same day against Sporting, raised their game in the second half and coach Ashley Westwood brought in Robin Singh midway in the second half and the move paid off as he found the net in the 65th minute with a looping header off a corner-kick taken by Eugenson Lyngdoh from the left.
Dempo FC who failed to maintan the same tempo in the second half too had a couple of clear chances but substitute Tolgay Ozbey and Joy Ferrao failed to find the net. Down by a goal Dempo's coach Trevor Morgan brought in couple of fresh legs to change their fortune and the move paid off as substitute Uttam Rai found the net in the 77th minute after he was fed by substiute Mandar Rao inside the box via Rowlison Rodrigues long lob.
Thereafter both the teams tried to find the winner but rivals defenders did well to keep their slate clean.
