Churchill Bros win a shootout

A pity that soccer’s version of Russian Roulette had to be resorted to after both sides played a thriller that produced no goals in 120 minutes of play including 30 minutes of sudden-death extra-time.

While Churchill launched a furious assault on the East Bengal goal during the last quarter of regulation time, the Calcutta side should have clinched the match well before the tie-breaker was enforced.

Ajoy Singh volleyed over the bar with the last touch in 90 minutes and as the match entered the golden goal period, the Calcutta twice failed to strike the Goans the killer blow.

East Bengal defender, Kenyan international Samuel Omollo headed against the bar and Ajoy Singh sent the rebound over.

The former champions could still have clinched it a minute later but superstar Baichung Bhutia volleyed wide off an open goal.

But the match will be remembered for Churchill’s awesome burst that all but flattened East Bengal’s citadel as it will for pillars of strength in either defence. The towering Omollo for East Bengal and the Nigerean Emeka Okeke, restricting Bhutia, for Churchill Brothers doing much to keep their goals intact as action swayed furiously to and fro.

It was incredible that East Bengal’s goal survived an amazing blitz between the 83rd and 88th minutes, but it did. First Marcus was miraculously denied by East Bengal goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey after Chibuzor crossed. As the Goans provided no respite, a frenetic moment in front of goal saw Kasif Jamal hit the post in the 85th minute.

No rest for PK Banerjee’s boys, but their goal survived again moments later. Three successive strikes did not enter East Bengal’s goal, Debashish Pal Choudhary eventually getting a foot in time to deny Jamal on the goalline.

The luckless Marcus Carvalho then had the gallant Chaubey slipping his left-footer past the near post for a corner as full-time beckoned.

After further heart-stopping moments in the extended period that saw the sides push tired legs to the limit, the teams left it to providence and nerves.

Chandrakant Naik, the experienced Churchill Brothers’ goalkeeper went the right way to all four East Bengal attempts. His lunge to the right deprived Raza.

Kasif Jamal, Gurinder Pal Singh, Anit Ghosh and Ratan Singh put away Churchill’s spot kicks. Debashish Pal Choudhary, Omollo and Ilyas Pasha did likewise for East Bengal before Tejinder Kumar sealed it for the Goan side.