Churchill Brothers SC went down 0-2 to Persipura Jayapura in their opening AFC Cup Group E away encounter at the Mandala Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

Goals by Boaz Solossa and Yohanes Pahabol in the second half sealed three points for the Indonesia Super League (ISL) champions at home.

Mariano Dias started with a 4-4-2 formation with Balwant Singh partnering Anthony Wolfe in attack.

The Red Machines started off well with the first opportunity coming Balwant Singh’s way. His header from a Saran Singh corner went wide.

Anthony Wolfe then saw his header go wide in the 11th minute.

In the 40th minute, Boaz Solossa tested Arindam Bhattacharya in goal who did well to avert the danger.

The teams went into the dressing room with the score line at 0-0.

In the 49th minute, Boaz Solossa broke the deadlock as he slotted home a Yohanes Pahabol cross from the right.

Pahabol doubled his side’s lead after latching on to a pass from Ronny Beroparay in the 62nd minute.

It looked like the long travel to Jayapura was taking a toll on the I-League champions. Coach Mariano Dias made a couple of changes with Richard Costa and Ashley Fernandes coming on for T. Bineesh Balan and Abdelhamid Shabana.

Richard Costa took a long shot that sailed over the crossbar in the 83rd minute.

Moments later, Lenny Rodrigues attempted the same with the ball going safely into the hands of the goalkeeper Jae-Hoon.

Churchill Brothers will take on New Radiant from the Maldives in their next AFC cup match on the March 11 at the Fatorda Stadium, Goa.