Churchill Brothers in Rovers Cup final

Winger Francis Silveira's acrobatic header in injury time enabled Zee Churchill Brothers of Goa to pip the Iran Youth team 2-1 in the first semi-final of the centenary Bristol Rovers Cup football tournament at the Cooperage in Bombay on Saturday.

Silveira will be the toast of Goa as he also put his team ahead early in the first half.

Iran, after initial flourish, lost the zip after their star forward Mosatafa Haghipour collided with a rival player and had to retire with a smashed nose. Worse was to follow when their number one goalkeeper Abbas Kasemi was forced to leave the field with a twisted ankle.

It was Brazilian Edson Tadeu's diagonal through that set up the first goal for the Goa team in the 15th minute. Silveira ran in well to meet the pass and flicked the ball over an onrushing Kasemi.

The Iranians, who shook the Goan defence with three raids, neutralised the score a minute before the lemon break. Mansour Jamalian created an opening for Reza Hadadi, who bulldozed through Churchill's suspect defence and bulged the net.

The match was in danger of going into extra-time, which would have to be played under poor floodlights, when Ajay Kumar, who had done nothing of note right through the match, sent a long ball. Even before substitute goalkeeper Ershad Yousefi could realise what was happening the dangerously lurking Silveira dived full length to head home and clinch the issue for his team.