Churchill in IFA Shield semi-finals

KOLKATA: I-League champions Churchill Brothers booked their semi-final berth in the 114th IFA Shield with a 2-0 win over Shillong Lajong FC at the Vidyasagar Krirangan in Barasat on Friday.
The Goans shared the Group B top spot with Mohammedan Sporting with four points each but the Carlos Pereira-coached side made it to the semifinals on a better goal difference.
Meanwhile, I-League runners-up Mohun Bagan opened their season in style, thrashing George Telegraph 4-0 in a one-sided Group C encounter.
Twenty-time Shield champions Mohun Bagan scored through Chidi Edeh (3rd, 40th minutes), James Singh (38th) and substitute Subha Kumar (87th).
Nigerian Chidi, new recruit of the Green-and-Maroons, missed a penalty and a few other sitters, which could have increased the goal margin.
Playing at their home ground with four of their national players -- Deepak Mondal, Surkumar Singh, Rakesh Masih and N Mohan Raj -- Mohun Bagan ruled the roost right from the kick-off, taking a 1-0 lead in the third minute.
Making most of a James Singh free-kick, Chidi deftly pushed the ball inside the net in an aerial clash with George's goalkeeper Sibram Dey.
In the 20th minute, Chidi was brought down inside the box by Amit Kundu, but the Nigerian failed to convert the penalty with a woefully off target shot, that ballooned over the bar.
But Bagan found the opposition net twice in a space of two minutes to go 3-0 up to wrap a superb first-half for the home side.
James scored from a Marcos Pereira corner in the 38th minute. The corner kick was blocked by the George custodian but a well-anticipated James did not miss the chance.
Capitalising on a Kalia Kulothungan pass, Chidi scored his second goal in the 40th minute with George finding the going tough.
In the second-half, Mohun Bagan got a few chances but it was towards the end of the match substitute Subha Kumar, who replaced Marcos, scored from 30 yards to complete the rout.
In the absence of their ace defender NS Manju, who is nursing a fractured toe, Mohun Bagan's backline appeared a bit vulnerable as George had their few chances but failing to convert them into goal.