Margao: Mumbai outfit Air India beat hosts Sporting Clube de Goa 2-1 to move above the relegation zone at the end of the first phase of the I-League.
After a barren first half at Nehru stadium in Fatorda, Md. Dada Nabeel and Vijeth Shetty scored for the visitors, while Junior Obagbemiro reduced the margin for the hosts.
With this win, Air-India move to 11th place with 14 points from 13 matches, while Sporting remain at the bottom without a win with five points from 13 matches.
Sporting had two chances to take an early lead but first Junior Obagbemiro failed to score and later Bibiano Fernandes muffed a golden opportunity to put his team up in the 30th minute off a pass from Agnelo D'souza.
Air India nearly scored in the dying minutes of the first half but Sporting keeper Gerald D'Mello came to his side's rescue as he prevented Behnam and Praneel Mendon from scoring.
The hosts finally tasted success in the 59th minute when hardworking Praneel Suresh Mendon put a through pass to Md. Dada Nabeel who shot home from close.
Air India increased the lead one minute later through a penalty. Syed Farid send an aerial ball into the box for Kailash Patil who dashed against defender Chandrashekar Chinta while going for the aerial ball and fell down inside the box.
Referee Dinesh Nair signalled a penalty which Vijeth converted.
PTI
First Published: Monday, February 15, 2010, 21:09