A 10-man Minerva Punjab FC scored an injury-time goal to snatch a 1-1 draw against Gokulam Kerala FC in their 13th round I-League match in Panchkula on Saturday. Gokulam Kerala drew the first blood in the 82nd minute through Debutant Marcus Joseph but defending champions Minerva equalized in the final minute of the additional time through Musa Caicedo (90+4 minute) to share the spoils at the Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula.
The visiting side made their intent clear as soon as the match began and in the second minute itself Pritam Singh found the back of the net off an Abhishek Das cross, but the referee disallowed the goal. Minerva, who are now out of reckoning for the title, suffered a jolt in the 20th minute when forward Zacharie was red carded for an unnecessary foul against Gokulam keeper Arnab Das inside the box. Gokulam kept on attacking but the defending champions denied them any clear chance in the first half.
A major part of the second half was a midfield tussle with the home side mostly defending while Gokulam attacking in short bursts but was unable to create any clear chance.
Gokulam’s efforts were rewarded in the 82nd minute when debutant Marcus Joseph from Trinidad and Tobago found the back of the net.
Minerva, who were on the verge of a seventh consecutive loss, did not stop trying and they were rewarded for their valiant efforts in the final minute of the injury added time. Souvik Das sent a pass to Moinuddin inside the Gokulam box who, in turn, headed the ball to Caicedo who did not make any mistake in putting the ball home.
Real Kashmir beat Shillong Lajong 1-0, stay in I-League title hunt
Real Kashmir FC beat bottom-placed Shillong Lajong by a solitary goal to remain in the hunt for the I-League title in their debut season here on Saturday.
Zambian centre-back Aaron Katebe scored the all-important goal in the 74th minute, propelling the ‘Snow Leopards’ to second place on the league table with 25 points — five adrift of leaders Chennai City FC — from 13 games.
The visiting coach David Robertson and his Lajong counterpart Alison Kharyntiew made two changes and both coincidentally in the midfield positions.
Real Kashmir started Khalid Qayoom and Nagen Tamang in place of Farhan Ganie and Danish Farooq while Lajong rested Samuel Lalmuanpia and Sheen Stevenson, bringing in Hnamte and Phrangki Buam in their place.
Honours were even in the first half though Lajong dominated possession as also having the best look at the opposition goal. Samuel Lyngdoh’s volley as early as in the fifth minute sailed over the bar.
The young home side were, however, not able to convert any of their chances and were made to pay for their discretion in the second half.
Robertson effected a double substitution in the second half, bringing in Gnohere Krizo and Danish Farooq for Koffi Tetteh and Qayoom and Real Kashmir took the lead from a set-piece.
Surchandra Singh floated the ball across the goal away from the far post from a corner to which Loveday Okechukwu rose the tallest to direct a header back towards the centre of the goal. Zambian Katebe, Loveday’s partner at centre-back, was lurking around and he buried the ball into the Lajong net with a strong header.
The Srinagar-based side then took control of the proceedings and Mason Roberston took a thunderous shot on the turn from the top of the box in the 81st minute, which hit the upright after it was brilliantly palmed away by keeper Lachempa.
Mason, son of coach David Robertson, missed another couple of clear chances and in the end, Kashmir had to be satisfied with the 1-0 scoreline.
For Lajong, the only consolation was that the Hero of the Match award was given to their keeper Phurba Lachempa for his vital saves, without which the victory margin could have been much bigger.
Plaza brace helps Churchill Brothers beat Neroca FC 2-1
Trinidad and Tobago striker Willis Deon Plaza struck twice in the final five minutes as Churchill Brothers made a remarkable fightback to beat Neroca FC 2-1 in a dramatic match and remain in the I-League title hunt here on Saturday.
Neroca seemed to have sealed three points, thanks to a Varney Kallon strike in the 24th minute before Plaza struck twice in the 85th and 90+1 minute to break their hearts.
It was an amazing turnaround and with this win, Churchill reached 25 points from 13 games to be placed at joint second with Real Kashmir FC (25 from 13 matches). Both Churchill Brothers and Real Kashmir are five points behind league leaders Chennai City FC (30 points from 13 matches).
Neroca remained in the fifth position with 21 points from 13 matches.
It was one of the best games of the season and Neroca would consider themselves unlucky to be on the losing side after coming so close.
With Saturday’s two strikes, Plaza joined Chennai City’s Pedro Manzi at the top of the I-League goal scoring charts with 13 each.
Churchill made one change in the playing eleven from the previous game as Nenad Novakovic came in place of Hussein Eldor in deep defence. Neroca’s Spanish coach Manuel Fraile, on the other hand, made two changes, replacing Saran Singh and Ashok with Tondomba Singh and Meetei.
In a thrilling end to end encounter, as was expected from two attack-minded sides, Plaza got his first clear chance of the game in the 13th minute when he latched on to a defensive error and got into a scoring position inside the box but narrowly missed the target after beating the keeper.
In the 18th minute, Neroca’s Australian import Aryn Williams turned one around towards goal off a corner, but it was comfortable for keeper James Kithan to collect.
Neroca took the lead against the run of play and for the umpteenth time in this edition of the I-League, it resulted from a set-piece. Malem took the free-kick from outside the Churchill box from the left flank and floated in a right-footed curler towards the near post.
Liberian defender Kallon had come in specifically for this routine and got ahead of his marker to deflect the ball into the Churchill net past keeper Kithan.
Churchill looked to hit back immediately and Dawda Cessay got at the end of an Anthony Wolfe pass. He controlled the ball beautifully to float it back in towards the Trinidadian Wolfe, whose effort sailed just over the bar.
Then in the 40th minute, the home side came close to scoring twice. First, Richard Costa’s shot from inside the box went just wide and then a Dawda Cessay effort was collected by Lalit Thapa in the Neroca goal.
The half ended with another rasping drive by the Gambian Cessay which was parried away by Thapa.
Churchill began with a flurry in the second half but it was Neroca who had the first gilt-edged opportunity when Subhash found Katsumi Yusa with a cross from the left flank but the Japanese winger’s angled header just missed the post.
Lalit Thapa then brought off a couple of saves, first off a Cessay free-kick and then off a Khalid Aucho pile driver.
In the 66th minute, Katsumi got a lovely cross from Nigerian striker Felix Chidi, but he failed to trap properly and Kithan collected the ball from his feet bravely.
Then Malem’s free-kick in the 72nd minute curled from outside the wall but again missed narrowly although Kithan seemed to have it covered.
Plaza then turned the game on its head with two telling strikes.
Dawda Cessay executed a perfect pass from midfield sighting Plaza’s run in between two defenders. The Trinidadian, who has been in clinical finishing form, unleashed a left footer across Kithan and into the Neroca net. This was in the 85th minute.
Then in the first minute of the added time, substitute Israil Gurung floated the ball in from a corner and Plaza jumped over his marker near the first post and found the back of the net again with a brilliant header.
