KOLKATA: Dempo Sports Club and Sporting Clube de Goa gave a thumping start to their final round campaign registering victories over their respective rivals in the U-19 Football Tournament for I-League teams in matches played at Kolkata on Tuesday.

In a gripping Group B encounter, Dempo SC edged past East Bengal 4-3 while Sporting Clube showed JCT the exit gate after a resounding 4-2 victory in a Group A match. After suffering two defeats in a row, JCT bowed out of the tournament. The Phagwara based side had gone down to Mohun Bagan 2-0 in their previous encounter. Sporting pocketed full points and lead the Group A table with three points. Dempo SC too drew three crucial points to notch up the top spot in Group B, whereas East Bengal now find themselves in a must-win situation against Pune FC to remain in the title race.