Zee Churchill rout F C Kochin

Down by a goal, Goa's Zee Churchill fought back to beat a fighting F C Kochin 4-1 in a Tata National Football League match, in Margao, Goa, on Sunday.

The victory took the Goa champions to the top of the league table.

In a game marred by rough play, both teams were reduced to ten men in the second half.

Kochin took the lead in the 30th minute, when a Naiz Rahman chip found the far post, to custodian Edward Ansah's left.

Churchill restored parity a minute later, when Yusif Yakubu headed home off a flag kick, taken by Tejinder Kumar from the right.

The teams were locked 1-1 at half-time.

Kochin held the upper hand in the second half until a penalty was awarded to the Goans, when a cross from dimunitive Ratan Singh from the left was handled by Nousha.

Dependable midfielder Noel Wilson, who took the spot-kick, made no mistake and made the score 2-1.

The goal demorlised the Kerala outfit as they conceeded another goal three minutes later, when Yakubu scored his second goal off a pass from Tejinder Kumar to become the leading scorer in NFL with seven goals.

Midway into the second session, Kochin suffered another blow when Kulothungan was given marching orders for kicking Tejinder Kumar.

Churchill rounded off the tally when substitute Peter Mascarenhas, receiving a Tejinder Kumar through pass, found the far post with an angular drive.

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