PANJIM: Dempo Sports Club’s prolific Nigerian striker Ranti Martins has already scored heaps of goals for his Indian club at various domestic competitions. But his prolonged stint at the champion Indian club and their consistent appearances at the AFC competitions, has also ensured that the Nigerian is among the top-scorers in AFC Cup.
Ranti’s recent strike came during Dempo’s 2-1 win over Al Tilal (Yemen) in the AFC Cup inaugural match at Pune on March 1, which pushed Martins’ AFC tally to 16 goals.
Although Bahraini clubs are not taking part in this year’s AFC Cup, one continental record still stands tall, which is in one of their former player’s names.
Brazilian striker Rico had scored 29 goals for Al Muharraq in AFC’s second-tier club competition and he is seven ahead of former Home United and Tampines Rovers striker Peres de Oliveira, who is also not playing in the 2011 edition.
Former champions Kuwait Sports Club’s Hassan Abdelfattah netted a brace in his side’s 3-1 opening victory over Omani outfit Al Suwaiq to take his tally to 19 goals. In the previous editions of the competition, Abdelfattah represented Syrian side Al Karamah and Jordan’s Al Wahdat.
Abdelfattah joins Mahmoud Shelbaieh of Al Wehdat on 19 goals while Singapore talisman Aleksandr Duric, who had previously played for Geylang Untied and the Singapore Armed Forces, reached 18 after finding the net once as Tampines Rovers defeated Victory (Maldives) 3-1.
Mohammed Kassas (18), Indra Daud and Mohammed Ghaddar (17 each) are not playing in this year’s edition but with the AFC Cup 2011 already underway and Dempo very much in the thick of action, Ranti has chance to add more to his 16-goal tally as his team next plays away in Lebanon on March 15 against Al Ansar.
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