By Abhishek Roy, IANS
Ludhiana : Churchill Brothers will face Dempo Sports Club in Monday’s all-Goa quarterfinal of the 29th Federation Cup Football tournament after their respective wins on the concluding day of the first round here Friday.
Churchill beat Salgaocar Sports Club 4-1, while Dempo Sports Club thrashed Chirag United 3-0 earlier in the day at the sparsely filled Guru Nanak Stadium.
For Salgaocar, who were recently promoted to the national league after a gap of one year, Friday’s defeat wasn’t a good start to the season.
A brace from Cameroonian Stephen Ambanyam (36th, 87th) and strikes from Nigerian Odafe Okolie (48th) and Robert Lalthlamvana (56th) made up the tally for Churchill while another Nigerian, Baba Tunde Badmus, scored the consolation goal for Salgaocar.
The Nigerians had a field day as Dempo’s Edeh Chiddi also recorded a hat-trick that saw Kolkata’s Chirag United trounced 3-0 -and knocked out of the 16-team tournament.
Salgaocar took the lead in the 14th minute when Nicholas Rodrigues set up Baba in the box by. After stealing a loose ball, Rodrigues made a solo run into the box, where he was muscled by two defenders. Rodrigues made a clever pass to an unmarked Baba, who slotted it in.
After being down by one goal, Churchill stepped up the tempo and made several moves but the equaliser remained elusive till the 36th minute. Ambanyam headed in the equaliser when he latched onto a clever pass by Khan Than Paite in the box.
After the change of sides, Churchill didn’t have to wait for the lead and it came within four minutes of the break through an Okolie strike.
The burly Nigerian made a solo run and dodged three defenders to score a scintillating goal to break the deadlock
Seven minutes later, Lalthlamvana scored the third goal for Churchill after he received a precise pass from Baba. With just three minutes left from the final whistle, Ambanyan completed his brace after he again made a brilliant solo run and stabbed in the final goal.
Earlier in the day, Dempo’s Chidi, who was no stranger to the turf at the Guru Nanak Stadium, having spent the last year with hosts JCT Mills, entertained his fans with a fine hat trick.
The 3-0 score, however, does not reflect Chirag’s valiant fight throughout the game, which it lost only in the last 10 minutes.
The match was keenly contested in the midfield but the Kolkata team lacked the firepower. Dempo was obviously the better team with the presence of Chidi making the difference.
Chidi scored the opening goal in the 32nd minute of the game after Brazilian Beto set him up inside the box. A measured pass from Beto found an unmarked Chidi and the Nigerian dodged the goalkeeper to chip it in.
From then on, the battle was locked in the midfield and Chirag, with some fine passing, gave a tough time to the Goan team. Veteran Dulal Biswas, operating on the left flank, made some good moves but didn’t get much support from the Chirag strikers.
After the change of sides, Chirag lost the edge and Chidi had a clear chance to net in his second goal in the 69th minute but came up against a brilliant save by goalkeeper Somnath Khara. It was a pass from Beto and Chidi, with only the goalie to beat, unleashed his left footer but Khara put on a valiant dive to his right to thwart the attempt.
Three minutes later, the Goan team had another chance to double the lead after a back pass from Chidi found an unguarded Jerry Zirsinga, who had an open net, but instead shot it above the post. In the very next minute, Valriano Rebello’s powerful left footer kissed the upright on its way out as Dempo squandered another chance.
In the 80th minute, Chidi scored his brace when he made a solo run from the centre-half and dribbled past two defenders, who tried to muscle him. But the determined Nigerian striker was unstoppable and his potent long ranger rattled the net. Chidi didn’t have to wait to complete his hattrick as he again made a similar move and chipped it past the custodian to seal the fate in Dempo’s favour.