New Delhi, Sep 5 (IANS) Defending champions Churchill Brothers beat Sporting Club de Goa 3-0 in a penalty shootout to reach the final of the Durand Cup football at the Ambedkar Stadium here Friday.

Churchill will face Mahindra United in a repeat of last year’s title clash.

Both teams failed to score in the regulation team and the deadlock was not broken even after the extra time.

But Churchill emerged winner after Odafa Onyeke Okolie, Ogba Kalu Nnanna, Varundeep got past goalkeeper Felix D’souza in penalty shoot.

Sporting cut a sorry figure as captain N Singh, Bisheshwar Singh and Micky Fernandes counld not score. Bishweswar hit straight to goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya, who then saved Singh’s shot diving to his left. Fernandes’s strike went out of the left side of the post.

The Goans though were themselves to be blamed. They were the better of the two teams but missed chances upfront. The two forwards Thoudam Singh and Thounaujam Singh could not combine well to take full advantage of the openings.

Churchill’s defence also stood solid with C. Chandrasekhar thwarting off the moves. He was later awarded the man of the match.

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