I-League: Spirited Churchill Brothers rout Mohun Bagan 3-0

Churchill Brothers extended their unbeaten streak to five matches after routing Mohun Bagan 3-0 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Sunday. It was Bagan’s first defeat this I-League season after two draws and two victories from opening four matches.

They dropped down to fourth with eight points after five games, while Churchill jumped four places into the second position and have nine points from the same number of matches as their opponents.

Bagan started well and could have scored thrice in the opening 20 minutes but Dipanda Dicka struck the woodwork, while Yuta Kinowaki shot straight at Churchill goalkeeper James Kithan and Sony Norde committed a foul when the Haitian at a better position to score.

A minute later Churchill took the lead through Dawda Ceesay. Lamgoulen Hangshing’s cross for Willis Plaza was headed clear by Dalraj Singh but it fell for an unmarked Ceesay at the far post and the Gambian did not make a mistake to push the ball into the net.

The goal sparked a new urge within the Churchill players and the visitors should have scored at least thrice in the next 20 minutes but Israil Gurung shot over from close range and Plaza shot straight at Bagan custodian Shilton Paul. The goalkeeper also kept the home team alive with a good save in the 37^th minute.

Churchill also had a goal from Plaza disallowed after the Trinidad and Tobago striker was pulled up for a foul on Dalraj.

But Plaza had to wait a little longer for his goal and in the second half, he found not one but two. Israil’s cross in the box was headed into the net by the former East Bengal striker to put the visitors 2-0 ahead in the 51^st minute. Then four minutes later Plaza added a second heading home a Ceesay cross to complete the rout.

The home side on the other were guilty of wasting plenty of chances with Dicka guilty of squandering few gilt-edged opportunities, including one in the final quarter when he found the side netting from a Norde free-kick despite being unmarked.

Bagan also had a goal disallowed in the 79^th minute when Henry Kisseka netted a clever Norde free-kick but the referee cancelled the goal for a foul preceding the goal.