Thaindian News

New Delhi, Sep 15 (IANS) I-League champions Churchill Brothers remained in contention for qualifying for the semifinals of Durand Cup with a 1-0 win over Sporting Clube de Goa in the quarterfinal league match here Tuesday.
After a dull first half and with just eight minutes left for the final whistle, Nigerian goal machine Odafe Okolie struck the winner for the Goan club at the floodlit Ambedkar Stadium in the group I match. Churchill, last year’s runners-up, now need only a draw against Assam Rifles to make the last four.

Clube de Goa had beaten Assam Rifles 2-0 in the opening match, but against Churchill lacked the penetration as their forwards junior Elijah Obagbemiro and Michael Tayo could hardly threaten the Churchill defence.

Churchill also did not look like the team that won the IFA Shield Saturday, as playing back-to-back tournaments had taken its toll. But their solid defence led by Gourmangi Singh was always alert and did not allow the Clube de Goa strikers any chance barring one when Tayo’s right footer was parried away by goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya.

In fact, both the Goan teams played a defensive first half, but Churchill came out with a better gameplan after the change of sides and showed the urgency to open the scoring.

But Clube de Goa defenders were equally up to the task and N. Samananda Singh and Matthew Gonsalves heavily marked Odafe.

Odafe, however, was always on the look out for an opportunity and was unlucky after his pile driver kissed the bar on its way out.

In the 72nd minute, Churchill came close to open the scoring but again the bar came in between Robert Lalthalamuana’s well directed free-kick.

With eight minutes left for the final whistle, an unmarked Odafe sneaked into box and scored the winner after being set-up by Gourmangi.