Churchill Brothers go down to Rajasthan United in the I –League opener

Ravish Narvekar

PM Britto came off the bench to score the winner against his former club.

Rajasthan United FC secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over Churchill Brothers FC in the I–League match played at GMC Athletic Stadium, Bambolim on Tuesday evening. The visitors opened the tally through Melroy Assisi in the 29th minute, while Churchill's French forward Abdoulaye Sane cancelled it just before the halftime whistle. However, PM Britto came off the bench to score the winner in the 75th minute for the Dessert Warriors.

Churchill’s Spanish coach Rueda Fernandes named newly signed foreigners Iranian Milad Pakparvar, Spanish forward Tana, and Spanish midfielder Manuel Cordero Giuli along with their skipper Momo Cisse in the lineup. Another newly signed defender Raju Gaikwad also found his name in the playing XI for the Red Machines. On the other hand, Uruguayan forward Martin Chaves, Kyrgyz defender Aidar Mambetaliev, Spanish midfielder Joseba Beitia and Spanish forward Nuha Marong made their debut for the Desert Warriors.

Churchill had an early opportunity with just 45 seconds on the match clock when Richard Costa set up Kingslee Fernandes in the box but the local lad saw his strike miss the target narrowly at the far post with just rival keeper MD Rafique at his stake. The Goan side had another chance to surge ahead in the 4th minute as this time Lamgoulen made a low cross to Giuli but the Spanish forward failed to connect from point-blank range.

The Goan side were forced to make the early substitution as injured Spanish forward Giuli made way for French striker Abdoulaye Sane in the 12th minute. A few minutes before this, Rajasthan came close to scoring as their midfielder Beitia easily cut past Churchill's defence line to enter the box but their skipper Cisse made a timely interception at the cost of a corner.

The Red Machines once again came with a series of attacks as first just-in Sane set up Kingslee in the box but the midfielder fumbled with the ball. The ball rolled to Tana who cut it back to Lalawmpuia Sailo but the lad saw his goalbound strike blocked by a Rajasthan defender. The Visitors also had a chance in the 18th minute when their Spanish forward Nuha brilliantly chested down the ball before setting up on-rushing Ragav Gupta but the midfielder couldn't control his strike from the top of the box as the ball missed the frame.

At the other end, Rajasthan’s Spaniard Chaves made a darting run on the left flank and found Beitia whose short was nicely blocked by Churchill skipper Cisse. The ball travelled to Lalremsanga who without wasting any time released it to Nuha but the Spaniard’s sparkling strike was brilliantly tipped for a corner by Churchill keeper Nora Fernandes. The Visitors finally managed to take the lead from the resultant corner as Chaves' corner at the far post was brilliantly headed in by Melroy Assisi from close to make it 1-0 for Rajasthan.

Churchill also had a chance to level the terms as Kingslee made a perfect through pass to Tanan in the box but the rival defender Melroy made a timely clearance. A few minutes later, Tana should have netted the equaliser when he was perfectly fed in the box by Lamgoulen from the corner but the Spanish forward could not direct his header into the goal.

However, the host managed to make it all square in added minutes of the session. Tana sent a low cross to Sailo who went for the glory from close but the Rajasthan custodian somehow managed to stop the ball from crossing the goalline but failed to clear the danger completely. Taking advantage of the same, substitute forward Sane who was completely unmarked, tapped the ball home to send the home fans into the rapture as both sides entered the dressing room with a goal each on their side at halftime.

Churchill should have taken the lead in the very second minute of the second session as Sane beautifully set up Milad with an inch-perfect through pass in the box but the Iranian forward could not keep his composure from close as he missed the target with a just rival keeper to beat. They once again had a chance to break the deadlock in the 51st minute as Milad sent a long cross to Tana who easily cut past a defender before making a through pass to Kingslee in the box but the local lad could not keep his sparkling strike on target from close.

The Dessert Warriors also had a chance to once again take the lead when their wing-back Hardik Bhatt nicely curled the ball to unmarked Chaves in the 6-yard-box but the skipper saw his header fly over the crossbar. Once again, they were unlucky as this time Ragav who found the loose ball in the midfield, tried his luck from the distance only to see it denied by the top corner.

However, they managed to surge ahead in the 75th minute as a long throw-in by Hardik found Chaves in the box who brilliantly released it to well-positioned Britto PM. The substitute midfielder showed no mercy infront of the goal as his right footer easily gave the lead to his side against his former club.

Rajasthan were reduced to 10 men in the 84th minute as referee Akashkumar Mehta showed the second yellow card followed by a red card to their defender Hardik for a reckless tackle on Churchill’s Milad. However, Churchill’s forward Sane could not make the most of the opportunity as his strike from the set-piece went over the crossbar from just outside the box.

The Goan side almost found the equaliser in the dying minutes of the match as their French forward Sane headed the ball in the empty net off Milad’s perfect cross but Rajasthan defender Aidar came with a breathtaking goalline clearance to deny the host a point.