E Bengal oust Churchill to make semis

Atleast three of the nine goals were simply outstanding, starting with the opening ripper from Dipankar Roy, who weaved around many flashing boots to drill the net in the fifth minute. Then Sukumar Singh made it 2-0.

Churcill were down in the dumps, when Jaspreet gave a clumsy back-header to goalkeeper Ansah, who was unprepared to receive it and allowed it to trickle in.

The great Churchill revival started with Shomtai Shaiza’s free-kick in the 28th minute. Igor headed towards goallie Sangram Mukherjee, whose deflection was converted into goal by Colaco. East Bengal hit back few minutes later through Sreekant Dutta. Then it was the turn of Churchill’s Andre to score (2-4) and Igor (3-4).

At 3-4 the battle had become hotter but Bengal again swung the pendulum in their favour thanks to the deadly combination of Dipankar and Talliaev.

But the Brothers team was not down or out as Colaco gave his crowd another ecstatic moment, toeing the ball in follwoing a penetrative through from Andre. There was then no no time left for more.

In the first match, Mahindras drew the first blood when Manjit Singh from the right cut in and slammed the goal in the fifth minute. JCT restored parity in the 22nd minute through Jaswant Singh.