I-League: Churchill Bros taste first win

Churchill Brothers FC captain Momo Cisse polished the boots of Tanausu Dominguez after the Spaniard’s wonderful solo effort gave the Goan side a 2-1 win against Mohammedan Sporting Club, their first in six games, at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco on Tuesday.
Churchill were winless in their last five games, picking up three defeats and two draws. The former two-time champions were languishing at the bottom of the standings. The results were clearly not good enough for a side that were touted favourites before the start of the season.
The club is understood to have amicably parted ways with coach Antonio Rueda after their 1-1 draw against Aizawl FC on Friday.
“The coach and club enjoyed a good relationship, but it was felt parting of ways would be good for everyone,” said a club source. “The team is good, there is no doubt about it, but somehow things have just not gone our way.”
All that changed on Tuesday.
Stand-in coach Mateus Costa made two changes as Lamgoulen started ahead of Vanlalduatsanga while Abdoulaye Sane came in place of Sailo.
Churchill started strongly but couldn’t convert their chances. All their efforts came crashing down when SK Faiaz broke the deadlock for Mohammedan in the 56th minute.
Churchill, though, did not give up as Raju Gaikwad gave them hope with a towering header just two minutes later.
Soon, Churchill brought in Tana and new signing Sharif M Mohammad. It worked well, and with six minutes left to be played, the Spanish attacker produced a moment of genius as he dribbled past a host of defenders and finished calmly to give Churchill their first win of the season.
Churchill have now moved two places up to the ninth spot in the standings with five points. Mohammedan’s winless run in away matches continued as they remained sixth.
As always, Churchill moved swiftly inside the opponent’s half. They had more of the ball but lacked sharpness upfront. The home side created the first chance when Kamo Bayi set up his strike partner Sane with a perfect through ball, but the Senegalese’s powerful effort was timely blocked by a sliding Wayne Vaz.
At the other end, Mohammedan slowly got into their rhythm. They should have taken the lead, but a left-footed strike from Nikola Stojanovic rattled the Churchill post.
Costa replaced Lalkhawpuimawia with Shubert Pereira before the break. Lalkhawpuimawia, who usually plays upfront, was fielded on the right flank and possibly felt out of place.
The match settled into a familiar pattern in the second half as Mohammedan looked more convincing. The visitors tried to break through the rival defence with short as well as long balls. Kean Lewis almost had a short on goal, but his effort was blocked by Shubert.
Finally, in the 56th minute, a long ball from the back did the trick for Mohammedan as Churchill’s defence only focused on marking Marcus Joseph, who looked offside. Faiaz, meanwhile, timed his run to perfection and controlled the ball well with his first touch and finished even better with the outside of his right foot past Churchill goalkeeper Albino Gomes.
However, Churchill responded strongly and equalised at the hour mark through a corner. Quan Gomes sent in a perfect delivery and Gaikwad leaped highest to head past keeper Zothanmawia.
Thereafter, Joseph had two glorious chances, but his header was saved by Albino and he then headed wide from close.
At the other end, Sane was guilty too of wasting two chances. But Churchill’s and Tana’s moment of glory arrived in the 84th minute. The Spaniard kept faith in his abilities and dribbled past almost four rival players including Wayne Vaz on two occasions before slotting the ball home for one of the more memorable goals in the I-League.