Dempo Sports Club beat Churchill Brothers 2-0 to score their third successive victory in the ONGC I-League at the Nehru stadium in Margao on Tuesday.
Dempo, who led 1-0 at half-time, scored through Roberto Mendes Silva in stoppage time of the first period while Ranti Martins increaded the tally in the 66th minute.
After two consecutive wins, this was the first setback in Churchill's campaign.
Dempo are now at the top of the table with nine points.
Silva, who played the role of the playmaker, was adjudged man of the match.
In another match in Ludhiana, Mahindra United and JCT played out a goalless draw.
After beating Mohun Bagan and East Bengal in Kolkata, JCT failed in their bid to make it a hat-trick of victories in the league.
JCT's Sunil Chhetri and Eduardo Da Silva got yellow cards as did Mahindra's Harpreet Singh and Manpreet.
JCT captain Julius Akpele was declared man of the match.
JCT next face Churchill Brothers in Ludhiana on December 8 while Mahindra United, who drew 1-1 with Air India before being thrashed 1-5 by Churchill, take on Viva Kerala in Mumbai.
JCT have seven points while Mahindra United two after three rounds.
Dempo controlled the midfield and striker Ranti Martins and Edeh Chidi combined well. With good support from the flanks, they kept the rival defence under pressure.
However, international Gouramangi Morangthem stood tall in the Churchill back line to ward off several attacks.
Dempo had a good chance to forge ahead in the fourth minute but Martins shot over off a cross from Chidi from the right.
He faltered again in taking a first-timed shot in front of goal and the ball was cleared by a defender.
After persistent efforts, Dempo managed to take the lead in stoppage time of the first half following a lapse on the part of Churchill 'keeper Vinay Singh, who advanced to intercept a lob off a free-kick taken by Valeriano Rebello.
The custodian failed to clear it and Silva headed home to give Dempo the lead at half-time.
Churchill Brothers failed to play as a cohesive unit. But for Khan Tanh Paite's free-kick, which he parried away for a corner, they were unable able to test Dempo 'keeper Abhijit Mondal seriously.
Striker Mboye Iyomi had two scoring chances but failed to direct his header on target.
Silva had a chance to increase the lead after resumption but his try in front of an open goal was put out by a diving keeper.
Dempo doubled the lead in the 66th minute when Martins headed in off a flag-kick taken by Nicholau Borges on the right.
Referee K Shankar showed yellow card to Dempo's Nicholau Borges and Churchill's Gouramangi.
Odafe Okolie, Churchill's main goal-getter, was kept quiet throughout the match by the Dempo defenders.
