Margao, Feb 21 : Odafe Okolie pumped in six goals as Churchill Brothers spanked Vasco 9-1 in their 16th round encounter in ONGC I-league at Nehru stadium here today. Churchill went to the lemon break with a 2-0 lead after Odafe found the target in 41st minute, followed by another goal by Felix Chimaokwu in 44th minute.
Churchill went to the lemon break with a 2-0 lead after Odafe found the target in 41st minute, followed by another goal by Felix Chimaokwu in 44th minute. After the change of sides, Odafe came out with his goal spree and sounded the board five times (49th, 55th, 83rd, 89th, 90th), which include a hat-trick as well.
Felix scored his second goal in 71st minute to extend the lead, followed by another from Reisangmi Vashum (73rd).
Vasco's Leister Fernandes produced the only consolation goal for his side in 67th minute.
The win takes Churchill's tally to 30 points from 16 matches, While Vasco remained at the bottom of the table with 10 points from as many matches.
Vasco started off well with crisp short passes during the initial minutes of the first half. They produced some good moves but their attacks were fizzled out once they reached the rival box.
Churchill, who relied on counter moves, tried to meet their strikers with long passes and Odafe had the first look at the goal when his header, off Robert Lalthlamuana's free kick was pushed away by diving custodian Laxmikant Kattimani.
After the close shave, Vasco defense crumbled in the 41st minute, when Odafe managed to snatch the ball from defender Fulganco Cardozo, raced into the opponent box and beat keeper before finding the target.
Two minutes later, Vasco defense again fell when Vincent Pires allowed Felix Chimaokwu to snatch the ball who came out with an angular low drive to find the target.
The twin-strike in the first half opened the flood gate as Vasco defense carved meekly in the second half to the Odafe-Felix combination.
Odafe tore into the rival defense as he bulldozed his way after collecting a long ball from Reisangmi Vashum to complete his hat-trick in the 49th minute. Six minutes later, Odafe again found the net when he ran through the rival defense off a long ball from Chandan Singh from the middle.
Vasco reduced the margin in 67th minute when Menino Fernandes from the middle gave a quick pass to Leister Fernandes who didn't fail to net the ball.