Agencies
PADANG: Churchill Bros went down 1-3 to unbeaten Group E winners Semen Padang in their AFC Cup match, here, Wednesday. Churchill trailed 0-1 at half time.
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Wilson opened the scoring with a superb solo goal midway through the first half for the Indonesian Premier League champions at Agus Salim Stadium before Titus Bonai’s free-kick doubled Semen’s lead at the start of the second half after Naveen Kumar had been sent-off for the visitors.
And after Bineesh Balan pulled a goal back for Churchill, another eye-catching solo effort from Wilson sealed Semen’s fourth win of the campaign as Jafri Sastrak’s wrapped up an unbeaten record in the group stage ahead of their home tie with Vietnam’s SHB Da Nang in the last 16 in two weeks’ time.
Despite Semen already having secured their place in the last 16 as Group E winners following an impressive maiden AFC Cup campaign, the home side dominated for long periods of the first half against already-eliminated Churchill with captain Ellie Aiboy, Vendry Mofu, Wilson and Bonai all coming close to a breakthrough for the home side.
And after 24 minutes, Semen were finally rewarded as Wilson skipped past several Churchill defenders on the edge of the penalty area before guiding a low strike into the bottom corner past goalkeeper Thapa Lalit.
Semen’s chances were further boosted just three minutes into the second half as Churchill Brothers defender Kumar was shown a straight red card after bundling over Mofu just outside the penalty area with the midfielder attempting to chase down a hopeful long ball forward.
And from the resulting free-kick, Bonai doubled Semen’s lead as the striker expertly guided the ball over the wall and past Lalit.
Churchill, though, responded just three minutes later as Balan beat Semen goalkeeper Fakhrurrazi to Yumnam Raju’s low left wing cross to poke the ball into the back of the net at the near post.
But 15 minutes later, another superb solo effort from Wilson restored Semen’s two-goal advantage as the Liberian cut in from the right side of the penalty area before coolly guiding his shot across Lalit and into the net via the inside of the far post.
Churchill, though, were unfortunate not to set-up a tense final 10 minutes as a free-kick from captain Jaison Vales crashed into the face of the crossbar with Semen goalkeeper Fakhrurrazi rooted to the spot.
