New Delhi: Churchill Brothers beat Mumbai FC 3-2 in one of the most enthralling matches in the I-league this season at the Cooperage on Sunday to roar back to the top of the table.
Mumbai FC coach David Booth started with his usual 4-4-2 formation with Abhishek Yadav and Felix Aboagye playing upfront with Anees K and Abel Hammond playing on the wings.
Churchill’s starting line-up was the same they had used in their last match, with Gouramangi Singh and Rowilson Rodrigues playing at the heart of their defence.
First Half
The match started with the visitors getting the first chance when Khemtang Paite found Felix Chimaokwu on the left and the latter’s chip into the box saw Odafa Onyeka Okolie head over the bar.
In the 15th minute Mumbai's Sanjay Parte found Abel Hammond, whose cross into the box from the right deflected off Anees K's body into the back of the net.
Minutes later Felix Aboagye missed his shot from close range. Felix Aboagye then gave a through ball for Hammond from the right. Hammond took his shot from an acute angle but his shot went wide.
Churchill Brothers began to put pressure on the hosts and duly got their reward when Selwyn Fernandes’s foul gifted them a free kick from 25 yards out in the 27th minute. Robert Lalthampuana took the kick and the ball flew into the far corner of the net.
Minutes later Odafa Okolie took a long shot from 35 yards out that Mumbai custodian Kalyan Chaubey spilled and fended it off for a corner. But it appeared that Odafa had committed a foul on Selwyn Fernandes before taking the shot.
Second Half
Churchill started the second half the more attacking of the two sides. Ogba Kalu Nnanna initiated a counter attack and found Odafa, who released Paite on the right. Paite was pulled down by Fernandes and a free-kick was awarded to Churchill. Lalthampuana took it and it was headed by Naoba Singh into the back of the Mumbai FC net. This was in the 56th minute.
Churchill then started to play a bit more cautiously and tried to temper the tone of the match. But before long Mumbai FC were back in the hunt for the equaliser and on the hour mark got a good chance when Abhishek Yadav fed K Kulothangan. But the midfielder's shot went wide.
Mumbai made a double change in the 70th minute when Aboagye and Anees were taken off and Pradeep and Nishant Mehra were brought on. Moments later Mehra ran along the right flank and gave a cross. Pradeep took the shot but it was blocked.
It fell at Hammond's feet but his shot too was blocked by Churchill but the ball then went to Riston Rodrigues, whose shot was also blocked.
The visitors didn't sit back but launched attacks of their own. Chitrasen Chandam Singh sent the ball from the midfield to release Felix Chimaokwu. The striker gave a cross to Odafa, whose first touch let him down, and this allowed Mumbai goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey to come out and clear the danger.
The match then became hugely entertaining as there was end-to-end stuff that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.
Mumbai FC eventually restored parity in the 84th minute when Alex Ambrose's cross from inside the box fell to Hammond. Lalthampuana, who was rushing from behind, made an attempt to clear the ball from danger but hit it into the back of the own net.
But Churchill made it 3-2 in their favour the very next minute when Mumbai were still celebrating. Odafa took a shot and it reached the back of the Mumbai FC net.
David Booth's side did try their best to score their third goal of the match and got their best chance in the last minute of added time when Ambrose failed to find the net from just five yards.
Goalscorers:
Mumbai FC: Anees K 15', Robert Lalthampuana 84'(OG)
Churchill Brothers: Robert Lalthampuana 27', Naoba Singh 56', Odafa Okolie 85'
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