Churchill get ready for Super Cup with three new foreign signings

Panaji: Churchill Brothers are hoping to make an impact in next month’s Super Cup and have strengthened themselves with the signing of three new foreign players.
Churchill Brothers had a disappointing campaign in this season’s I-League. A slow start, and then some mixed results towards the end, saw the team finish sixth with 33 points, 19 points behind champions RoundGlass Punjab FC.
Injuries and suspensions left Churchill with few foreign options, prompting the club to bring in reinforcements.
According to sources, experienced Liberian striker Ansumana Kromah, Uzbekistan midfielder Sardor Jakhonov and Cameronian defender Mbenda Zacharie have all joined the club. All three foreigners have experience of playing in India.
They will be joined by Uruguay forward Martin Chaves, who has made a big impression at the club since joining from Rajasthan United during the January transfer window.
“We did not have the best of campaigns in the I-League and it’s important for us to make a mark in the Super Cup,” said Churchill Bros owner Churchill Alemao. “We have a good team, but the results did not go our way. We had to make changes (to the foreign contingent) due to injuries and suspension.”
The foreign players will step into the boots of Momo Cisse, Shariff Mukhammad and Emmanuel Yaghr.
While captain Cisse has picked up an injury and is not available for the rest of the season, Afghanistan midfielder Shariff was sent off in the concluding I-League clash against Neroca that saw five red cards.
Apart from Shariff, defenders Ponif Vaz and Raju Gaekwad were also sent off, triggering a three-match suspension.
Churchill have been drawn to play the qualifier against Real Kashmir FC at Manjeri Payyanad Stadium on April 6. Should they cross the qualifying hurdle, the former I-League champions will be placed in group D where they will face ISL League Shield winners Mumbai City FC, former ISL winners Chennaiyin FC and NorthEast United FC.