I-League 2017-18: Churchill shocks table toppers Minerva, league still open for Kolkata giants

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Churchill Brothers beat league leaders Minerva Punjab FC 1-2. Image Source: AIFF

Internet Desk: Churchill Brothers stuns table toppers Minerva Punjab FC with a 2-1 defeat at home over 2017-18 at the Tilak Maidan Ground in Vasco, Goa on Friday. A win in this game could have positioned Minerva on the driver’s seat to win the title.

Churchill’s winter transfer window recruits Koffi Mechac (17′ P) and Wayne Vaz (45) scored in the first half itself. Kassim Aidara (57′) replied back around the hour mark but Chencho Gyeltshen squandered a chance to equalise from the spot in the 61st minute.

Osagie Monday’s two-footed sliding tackle on William Opoku inside the Churchill box. Referee Akash Jackson Routh gave a goal-kick instead, before awarding a penalty on the opposite side when Sukhdev Singh was deemed to have fouled Koffi in the Minerva box. Koffi stepped up to send Limbu the wrong side as the resultant penalty gave Churchill the lead in the 17th minute.

Just before half-time, the table toppers were trailing by two goals after Wayne Vaz took two attempts to beat Limbu in goal after the Churchill right back was set up by Ceesay who was played through from a free-kick taken by Monday.

It was game on in the 57th minute when Kassim Aidara controled Chencho’s freekick into the box from the left and blasted the ball into the roof of the net to make it 2-1.

Moments later, it could have been 2-2 but Chencho sent his penalty wide after Wayne was guilty for a handball in the Churchill box.

Churchill’s victory still leaves a ray of hope to Neroca FC and the Kolkata giants, though the chances are very slim for the other contenders.