Defending champions Dempo scored a hard-fought 5-3 victory over Raia Sports Club in the Hutch-sponsered Goa Football Association's professional league, at Duler Ground, Mapusa, on Friday.

Dempo, who lost to Velsao Parle earlier, held territorial advantage for major part of the match and led 4-3 at half-time with Clifton Gonsalves and Anthony Pereira scoring a brace each.

Peter Carvalho scored the fifth goal for the winners in the second half.

Raia, who gave a tough time to Dempo in the first half, scored through a brace each by Wesley Coutinho and Wilfred Gomes.

With this first win, Dempo have four points from three matches, while Raia have one from three matches.

In another match, played at Nehru stadium, Margao, Sporting Clube de Goa scored one in each half to get the better of Crop of Signals 2-0.

Nicalau Borges gave Sporting the lead in the sixth minute, noding home a cross from Freeman Pexito.

Signals, who showed lot of promise in the second half, conceded a self goal in the 57th minute which dashed their hopes of a revival.

Sporting now have seven points from three matches, while Signals lost all the three matches they played.