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Mohammedan Sporting put further daylight between themselves and their challengers, taking a hard-fought 3-2 win against Churchill Brothers in the I-League match at the Naihati Bakimanjali Stadium on Tuesday, March 10, 2024. The win puts Mohammedan Sporting eight points clear of the Sreenidi Deccan FC in second place, with five rounds of games left to play.
While Mohammedan Sporting are now placed comfortably at the top of the points table with 44 points from 19 matches, former champions Churchill Brothers remain stuck at a moderate 23 points after 19 outings.
While Eddie Hernandez (28’, 33’) and F Lalremsanga (75’) scored for Mohammedan Sporting, Stendy Fernandes (10’) and Martin Chavez (51’, penalty) were the marksmen for Churchill Brothers.
In a shock opening quarter of the game, Churchill Brothers grabbed control and at times their pace and brilliant movement off the ball, showed in equal amounts their ability but also how they had wasted it this season. When the first goal arrived in the 10th minute it was hardly a surprise, so dominant had Churchill Brothers been.
Lalremruata’s mazy dribbling run was seemingly brought to an end by a Mohamed Irshad tackle and clearance right at the edge of the box. Unfortunately, his clearance pinged back off a teammate right into the path of Stendly Fernandes. The midfielder has been one of the bright spots of a drab season for Churchill Brothers and he didn’t disappoint. Setting himself up with his first touch he let the ball fly into the bottom left corner to give the visitors the lead.
It took Mohammedan Sporting a while to get going, but, as they have most of this season, once they did there was no stopping them. In the manner of the old adage about London buses, their goals came in pairs. First the equaliser, in the 28th minute, conjured up by Alexis Gomez through ball and a perfectly fizzed cross by Zodingliana from the left wing. Eddie Hernandez barely had to tap it in from five yards out.
Five minutes later, they had wrested the lead, this time the cross coming from the right via Lalremsanga. Hernandez had a lot more to do this time, rising high and also somehow putting massive power and perfect direction on his header to direct it home.
A rejuvenated Churchill Brothers hit back in the second half, and within six minutes Zodingliana went from hero to villain, his foul on Lalremruata gifting Churchill a penalty. Martin Chaves scored the spot kick to draw them level.
Just when it seemed like Mohammedan Sporting’s bubble had burst, Lalremsanga scored the most unlikely of goals, which may well be among their biggest this season. Having been played through on the right side of the box by Gomez, the Mizo winger shot feebly at goal in the 75th minute. As weak as the shot was, it bounced right in front of a diving Subhasish Roy Chowdhury, before hitting the inside of the post and rolling in. Mohammedan Sporting clutched onto that slender lead to the final whistle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyDgsetxx6k
