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Former champions Dempo Sports Club started their I-League campaign in impressive style with a thumping 3-1 victory over a new-look Mumbai FC at Cooperage football ground in Mumbai on Saturday.
The visitors were too strong for the local outfit and took a 2-0 lead at half-time.
Dempo's Brazilian midfielder Roberto D'Silva put them in front with a close-range effort in the 22nd minute before star India forward Sunil Chetri made it 2-0 three minutes later with an angular shot from the left.
After the change of ends, Dempo increased the lead to 3-0 in the 52nd minute through Climax Lawrence, who shot home a rebound before they relaxed and allowed Mumbai FC to pull one back in the 78th minute through Peter Siddiqui.
Dempo's defence was hardly tested for the major part of the match as Mumbai FC were busy defending their citadel with a nervous-looking Amit Singha Roy under the bar.
It was, however, the local outfit who took the first shy at the goal when Subash Chaktravorty blasted his left-footer over the cross in the 17th minute.
Stung with the early burst, Dempo started raiding the rival goal and struck with their first serious move when Roberto collected the rebound off a defender's leg following a cross from the right by striker Ranty Martins and volleyed in.
Chhetri, till then subdued, scored the second goal from a narrow angle from the left which should have been covered by Roy.
The Goans sealed the issue soon after the resumption of play in the second half when another defensive error was punished by Lawrence, who collected the rebound off a shot from Chhetri following a corner and slotted home.
Peter Siddiqui then scored a consolation goal for the home side, darting in to head home a corner.