Sporting Clube-de-Goa came from behind in the second half to hold title aspirants Churchill Brothers to a 1-1 draw in the penultimate round of the ONGC I-League at Nehru Stadium in Margao on Saturday.
Churchill dictated terms in the first half and took the lead in the 15th minute through Odafe Onyeka Okolie.
Sporting restored parity in the 73rd minute through substitute Fredy Mascarenhas.
Churchill, who created more scoring chances, were denied victory by Sporting keeper Felix D'Souza who brought off couple of fine saves in each half.
Churchill now lead the table with 33 points with one game to play. They are one point ahead of Dempo Sports Club, who have two matches left.
Dempo play Salgaocar Sports Club on Sunday and now have a good chance to get ahead by two points.
Sporting have now collected 18 points from 17 matches.
Sporting defender Chinta Chandrashekar was declared man of the match.
Churchill needed victory by a bigger margin and started in right earnest dominating the first 20 minutes with a series of raids deep into the rival box.
Strikers Okolie and Mboyo Iyomi were a constant threat with good support from the rear.
Felix D'Souza came to his side's rescue twice denying Khan Thang Aaite and Mboyo Iyomi from scoring from inside the box.
But the citadel fell to the relentless pressure when he was deceived to a glancing header by Okolie off a well directed cross by Reisangni Vashum from the right.
Sporting took time to settle down and found their rhythm in the latter part of the first half, creating couple of scoring chances but failed to restore parity.
Okolie, who was tightly marked by defender Felip Gomes, had a chance to double the lead soon after change of ends, but the striker was late in connecting with a low measured cross from the right by Iyomi.
Sporting kept on attacking but in their eagerness, left space in the defence and Okolie was set up by a long lob from Naoba Singh. But the African missed the target narrowly.
Sporting celebrated this close shave with a goal when substitute Fredy Mascarenhas' 30-yard shot beat rival keeper Vinay Singh to find the net after hitting the cross bar.
Odafe was once again denied a goal from close by D'Souza, who blocked his shot.
Sporting made a counter move and Adjei Lawerence had a chance to score but he shot out even as keeper Vinay Singh had left his charge.
