Churchill make Dempo wait

Churchill, who led 3-0 at half time, scored through Odafe Okalie (20th, 52nd), Felix Chimaokwu (26th) and Ogba Kalu Nnanna. With the two goals, Odafe’s individual goal tally reached 21.

The win takes Churchill to 38 points from 22 matches, the same as Mahindra United but remain in third place due to an inferior goal difference.
Bagan remained in fifth with 32 points from 23 matches after their defeat.
Churchill, who needed a win to delay Dempo’s crowning, went ahead in the 20th minute.
Kalu relayed the ball to Odafe who beat a couple of defenders and essayed a shot that deflected off defender NS Manju and caught goalkeeper Shilton Paul on the wrong side to find the net.

Churchill increased the lead in the 26th minute. Kalu sent a through pass to Felix who took a defender with him before essaying a low shot that goalkeeper Paul could not prevent from going into the back of the net.
The Bagan citadel fell again in the 31st minute when Kalu headed home the ball off a corner taken by Lalrindika from the right.
In the second half, Churchill continued their attacking game and put the match beyond the reach of Bagan. Felix tried to dribble past Deepak Mondal, with the ball deflecting off his leg and falling kindly to Odafe who shot in on the run to complete the rout andremain the leading scorer with 21 goals.

Towards the end, Felix could have swelled the lead when his rasping left footer hit the underneath of the cross bar.