MARGAO: On a day of relegations, outgoing champions Churchill Brothers hammered a listless Air-India 5-1 in the last round of the I-League match at Nehru stadium Fatoda on Friday.

With the ‘drop’ of the tams being a notable aspect on the concluding day, the spectators  were seen having their ears on their cell phone constantly monitoring the progress of Sporting Clube de Goa, who were playing away in Kolkatta against Chirag United. Here, Churchill were chasing the runners-up spot, needing an outright victory over the visitors and skipper Odafe Okolie and his strike partner Felix Chimakkagwu netted a brace each while winger Jaison Valles also got his name on the scorelist to complete the formalities rather easily. Nigerian striker Ndubuisi Opara’s goal proved to be just the consolation for Air India.
Churchill surged ahead in the 21st minute through Odafe who simply ran past rival defenders Syed Farid and Khelemba Singh to push at the target and despite a desperate lunge by keeper Kunal Sawant, the ball slowly rolled into the nylons. On the hour mark Odafe twisted and turned the rival defenders to fire a left footer which banged on the metal bar, but the rebound fell for Odafe to quickly bundle it inside the net. Churchill notched the third after Felix’s sweetly struck right footer went in only after hitting the post in the 67th minute.
The harassed Air India managed to reduce the margin with the impressive Opara  nodding in a Soccoro Velho cross from the right in the 73rd minute but in the next minute the airmen frustrated their coach Yusuf Ansari by conceding the fourth with Felix virtually walking the ball into the nylons as the visitors rearguard went to sleep.
In a forgettable match, Air India were sliced further by the hosts with winger Jaiso Valles, from more than 25 yards out, curling  a right footer beyond the reach of the lanky Sawant to complete the rout.