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.
The Nigerian duo of Odafe Onyeka Okolie and Chidi Edeh hogged the limelight for Churchill Brothers and Mahindra United respectively as both teams got off to winning starts in the Federation Cup football tournament. Odafe inspired a 10-man Churchill to a 2-1 win over Mohammedan Sporting, while Mahindra United blanked a hapless Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 3-0.
Mohun Bagan on Wednesday signed prolific Nigerian striker Odafe Onyeka Okolie for a record rupees two crore one-year contract, the highest ever deal in Indian football history.
Star striker Odafe Onyeka Okolie converted a penalty deep into the second half as Churchill Brothers prevailed over Mumbai FC 1-0 in their second league match of the Federation Cup football tournament in Silchar, Kolkata, on Wednesday.
Foreigners continued to dominate Indian football as they scored 136 of the 227 goals in the I-League.
Odafe Onyeka Okolie banged in four goals as Churchill Brothers trounced a hapless Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bangalore 7-0 at Yuba Bharati Krirangan (YBK) at Salt Lake on Wednesday to set up a Goan derby against Dempo SC in the semifinals of the 30th Federation Cup.
Odafe Onyeka Okolie did not let off-field issues bog him down and struck twice to script Churchill Brothers' 2-2 draw against Mohun Bagan in the round nine I-League encounter at Vidyasagar Krirangan in Kolkata on Friday. The Nigerian striker, who was arrested with two others on charges of molestation on board a flight to Kolkata, scored twice to negate the two-goal effort of Jose Ramirez Barreto of Mohun Bagan and walk away with the Man of the Match award.
Captain Odafe Onyeka Okolie broke the shackles in the 82nd minute to score the winner as I-League champions Churchill Brothers edged out Sporting Clube-de-Goa by a solitary goal to inch closer to the semi-final of the 122nd ONGC Durand Cup football tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium on Tuesday.
Churchill Brothers booked a semi-final berth with a 2-0 win over Shillong Lajong FC, while Mohun Bagan began the season in style, thrashing George Telegraph 4-0 in the 114th IFA Shield in Kolkata on Friday.
Sporting Clube-de-Goa came from behind in the second half to hold title aspirants Churchill Brothers to a 1-1 draw in the penultimate round of the ONGC I-League at Nehru Stadium in Margao on Saturday.
Odafe Onyeka Okolie's goal gave the Goa team a 1-0 victory over Mumbai's Mahindra United in the final and their maiden triumph in the tournament.
In another match of the Durand Cup football tournament, Nigerian Odafe Onyeka Okolie hammered in five goals as Churchill Brothers trounced Central Railway 6-1.
Churchill Brothers' Nigerian sharp shooter Odafe Onyeka Okolie may have failed to win the inaugural I-League title for his side, but his enormous contribution to the campaign was enough to get him three individual awards.
Man of the match Odafe Onyeka Okolie capitalised on the sloppy Salgaocar defence to slam in four goals as Churchill Brothers came from behind to register a resounding 5-1 win in the eighth round of the ONGC I-League at Nehru stadium in Margao on Monday.
With the win, Churchill Brothers have collected 13 points from seven matches in the ONGC I-League football championship, while Viva Kerala, who suffered their second defeat, remained on nine points.
The prolific Nigerian scored a hat-trick as Churchill Brothers returned to winning ways with a 3-2 win over East bengal.
Nigerian striker Odafe Onyeka Okolie scored his tenth goal of the tournament as Churchill Brothers rallied to beat Air India and enter the final of the Durand Cup football tournament.
Churchill Brothers' captain Odafe Onyeka Okolie scored all the goals in his team's 4-1 demolition of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in the pre-quarter-finals of the Osian Durand Cup football tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium in Delhi on Tuesday.
Odafe Onyeka Okolie's 78th minute goal earned Churchill Brothers a 1-1 draw.
Odafe Onyeka Okolie scored a double hat-trick as Churchill Brothers whipped cellar team Vasco 9-1 in a 16th round match of the ONGC I-League football championship in Goa on Friday to stay in the hunt for the title. The victory kept Churchill in third place, with 30 points, behind league leaders Mohun Bagan (33) and Sporting Clube de Goa (31).
The two giants of Indian football, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, are facing turbulent times. On the pitch, East Bengal finished a respectable third in the 2012-13 I-League season, while Mohun Bagan finished a disappointing tenth.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances