Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Pune: Midfielder Bikramijit Singh's second-half equaliser to earn India’s Churchill Brothers a 2-2 draw with Semen Padang of Indonesia in Group E of the AFC Cup on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old struck in the 57th minute to earn his side their first point of the competition after losing their opening game against Hong Kong’s Kitchee 3-0 on February 26.
India international striker Sunil Chhetri had given Churchill Brothers the lead in the 27th minute against a Semen side that was aiming to maintain their winning start to the competition after a 3-1 win over Singapore Armed Forces on Matchday 1.
But just nine minutes later Hendra Adi Bayauw levelled the scores for Semen and, on the stroke of half time, Muhammad Rizal put the visitors in front.
However, Singh struck in the second half to ensure Churchill Brothers got off the mark in the 2013 edition of the AFC Cup.
“I am not happy with the result; we should have won this match,” said Churchill Brothers coach Mariano Dias.
“The second goal was a gift. Our goalkeeper is to blame as there were two defensive mistakes.
“We played better in the second half and we should have won the game.”
Chhetri opened the scoring midway through the first half with a thumping header from Denzil Franco’s cross.
Semen, though, worked their way back into the contest before half-time courtesy of Adi Bayauw’s eye-catching solo goal.
And in the last minute of the first half, a throw from Churchill Brothers goalkeeper Sandip Nandy fell straight to Rizal and he lobbed the stranded custodian from 35 yards.
But just before the hour mark, Semen goalkeeper Pu failed to hold Singh’s well-hit strike from outside the area and the ball agonisingly rolled over the line.
Semen coach Jafri Sastrak, meanwhile, was happy to see his side open their account in the competition.
“I am happy with one point,” he said. “One point is a good result for us.”