Former champions Salgaocar carved out a 2-0 victory over Haywards Sporting Club in an eighth National Football League match in Margao, Goa, on Wednesday.
The victory helped relieve the pressure of relegation as they jumped to seventh place after scoring their first win in the second leg.
They have 21 points from 18 matches while Sporting remain in fifth place with 26 points from as many matches.
After a barren first half, which saw play confined to midfield, Salgaocar raised the pace with Jatin Bist and Tomba Singh controlling the midfield and surged ahead in the 52nd minute.
Bist, from the middle, relayed a through pass to defender Remus Gomes, who moved up through the right and on seeing 'keeper Felix D'Souza out of position, lobbed the ball over the outstretched hands of Felix into the far corner of the net.
Salgaocar made the issue safe 10 minutes before close when substitute Freddy Mascarenhas beat the onrushing 'keeper to score off a through pass from Tomba Singh.
Haywards made an all out effort to find the goals but met with little success as the Salgaocar defenders and 'keeper kept the slate clean.
Referee N Mohan showed yellow cards to Salgaocar's Prasant Jaggi, Felix Ibrebru and Haywards' Abdullateef Seriki.
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