Air India posted the biggest upset of the Osian’s Durand Cup football when they knocked out defending champions Dempo Sports Club 2-1 at the Ambedkar Stadium here on Saturday to set up a semifinal clash with Churchill Brothers on Monday.
In a pulsating encounter, Sanju Pradhan (third minute) and Santosh Koli (75th) found the net for the airmen while Nicolau Borges scored for last season’s national league champions in the 43rd minute.
Earlier, Nigerian Odafe Onyeka Okolie hammered in five goals as Churchill Brothers trounced Central Railways 6-1. Okolie found the target in the 13th, 40th, 54th, 58th and 82nd minutes with substitute Thangjam Singh getting on the scoresheet in the 84th after Kasif Jamal had given the railmen a surprise lead in the seventh minute.
The Dempo-Air India match was the best game of the tournament so far with two evenly matched sides going full pelt at each other.
Armando Colaco’s expensive collection of talent was shocked early on when a free-kick from outside the area by Samson Singh hit the crossbar. Before custodian V P Satish Kumar or any of his fellow defenders could react, Pradhan headed in the rebound in the empty net.
Air India were clearly the dominant team in the early exchanges as their defence held firm with the rattled Dempo players forced to take shots from distance and, as a result, Raju Ekka in the Air India goal was hardly troubled.
The winner came courtesy a beautifully flighted cross by Nepoleon Singh from the right flank which did not allow the goalkeeper to attack the ball. Koli made a great late run into the box and capitalised on being unmarked by slamming home.