Easy win to extend the run for Churchill Brothers

Bilal Najjarin (centre) leads a Churchill Brothers attack against Mumbai FC. Image courtesy: AIFF Media

Margao: Churchill Brothers Sports Club continued with their winning run in the I-League as they coasted to a 3-1 win over Mumbai FC, at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Saturday.

An own goal from Abhishek Yadav started the fall for Mumbai FC while Akram Moghrabi and Roberto Mendes da Silva also helped themselves with goals.

Mumbai FC were actually the better of the two teams at the beginning and should have had the lead inside the first fifteen minutes. But poor finishing meant they allowed Churchill to claw their way back.

Ghanaian striker Yakubu Yusif, Nigerian striker Ndubusi Opara and Nicholas Rodrigues all had chances to open the account but failed.

Churchill Brothers took the lead much against the run of play and that too from an own goal by former India striker Abhishek Yadav, who started in defence. A harmless cross from Denzil Franco should have been cleared easily by the defenders but instead Yadav ended up turning the ball inside his own goal as Mumbai FC goalkeeper Kunal Sawant looked helplessly.

It was still an encouraging situation for Mumbai FC who went on attacking relentlessly. But, again, against the run of play, Churchill made it 2-0. This time it was Lebanese striker Akram who headed home a smart corner from Steven Dias.

It turned worse for Mumbai FC when defender Evans Quao was sent off by the referee for a tackle on Akram in the 38th minute.

Mumbai FC refused to be downcast after the change of ends and continued with their attacking play. Soon enough they tasted success and it was not a surprise that the hardworking Yakubu had opened his account in this edition of the I-league. The Ghanaian was allowed the space to head Subhas Chakraborty’s corner and the veteran made no mistake.

Any hopes of a comeback, however, were dashed by Roberto Mendes da Silva as he converted a penalty kick to give his team a decisive 3-1 lead in the 69th minute.