Mboyo Iyomi's spectacular strike enabled Churchill Brothers, Goa, edge out ten-man East Bengal and catch up leaders Dempo Sports Club on points in the I-league in Kolkata on Sunday.
After a goalless first session, the Congolese got the decider in the 77th minute with a rasping header to boost Churchill's points tally to 32 from 16 outings.
Dempo have the same number of points, but still lead the table on goal difference.
East Bengal, on the other hand, continue to be dogged by relegation fears, as they remained at the eighth slot with 15 points from the same number of matches as their Goan rivals at the floodlit Salt Lake stadium.
With two bottom-ranked sides in the ten-horse double-leg race slated to be demoted to the second division, East Bengal are only above Viva Kerala (12 from 16) and Salgaocar (10 from 16).
The relegation battle is now interestingly poised with each of the three teams in with a chance to survive if they come up with good performances in the last two rounds.
Today's goal followed a measured cross from the right by Naoba Singh. The dangerous Mboyo outjumped Surkumar Singh and headed in a flash, and the ball bulleted into the net giving no chance to East Bengal custodian Subrata Paul, who otherwise played splendidly to earn the man-of-the-match award.
The three-time winners saw their numerical strength depleted in the 28th minute, when dependable medio Jayanta Sen went for a needless flying tackle on Naoba, and charged at his feet instead of the ball.
Referee A Arjunan had no hesitation in marching out Jayanta, and East Bengal dearly missed his game-making and passing abilities for the remaining 62 minutes.
