Churchill squeeze past Dempo to enter Durand final

I-League champions Churchill Brothers maintained their intimidating form in the season as they beat Dempo 2-1 to storm into the Durand Cup football final, on Saturday.

Churchill , who had clinched the season-opening IFA Shield early this month in Kolkata, came out with some dominating performance against their Goan rivals in the first semi-final at the floodlit Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi.

Charan Rai (19th minute) and Odafe Onyeka Okolie (50th) scored for Churchill, while Roberto Mendes da Silva pulled one back for Dempo in the 83rd minute.

Churchill now play either Mohun Bagan or Mahindra United, who play each other in the second semi-final on Sunday, in the summit clash on September 22.

Churchill, who will be in the Durand Cup final for the second year in succession, dominated the proceedings.

Odafe was in his best elements as he tormented the Dempo defence.

Dempo could have equalised in the added time of first half but Ranty Martin's low right-footed attempt from a close angle hit the upright.

Five minutes after the breather, Dempo fell to Odafe magic as the Nigerian cut through Anwar and Peter Carvalho inside the box before sending a right-footed drive into the net.

Mendes brought back some hope for Dempo by turning in a curling free-kick from outside the box into the Churchill net, but this wasn't enough to resurrect their flagging fortunes.