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Former champions Churchill Brothers and debutants Inter Kashi played out a 1-1 draw in an I-League 2023-24 match at the Kalyani Municipality Stadium on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. The teams were locked goalless at half time.
While both teams returned to the dressing room with a point each in their pockets, the Goa club should feel more disappointed for not getting the full three points. First, they were the better team on the pitch on Wednesday. More importantly, Churchill Brothers needed full points desperately, as currently they are rather uncomfortably placed at the 10th position in the 13-team league with only 14 points from 13 matches.
Inter Kashi, on the other hand, continue to be a team in the middle of the table. They are now in seventh place with 19 points from 14 outings. Inter Kashi qualified for the Kalinga Super Cup earlier this season and now their aim could be to finish on the higher side of the points table among the top six.
Yet, on Wednesday, the visiting side held the upper hand in terms of ball possession and attacking qualities. With a little more precision, Churchill Brothers could have won the match, but their lack of decision making in the rival area remained their biggest drawback.
After a goalless first half, the next 10 minutes were fairly action-packed, with both goals coming during this period. Churchill Brothers, who had the better of the exchanges, took the lead in the 52nd minute but could hardly hold on to it as Inter Kashi found the equaliser within the next four minutes.
Ghanaian midfielder Emmanuel Kofi Essien, who always showed some amount of urgency in initiating the attacks of the Goa side, was quick to pounce on the opportunity when a long throw in the Inter Kashi box was partially cleared by a defender and returned into the six-yard area again after hitting a defender. Emmanuel didn’t waste time to find the target. Inter Kashi players protested, saying the striker was off-side, but the referee wasn’t impressed.
However, Inter Kashi were soon a happier lot as they restored parity four minutes later. Stendly Fernandes found himself clear on the right and raced in to cross in the goalmouth. An attempted clearance by lanky Nischal Chandan failed miserably as the defender lost his balance and fell down, leaving the ball free for a rather grateful and surprised Muhammad Ajsal to do the rest. Churchill Brothers goalkeeper Subhasish Roy Chowdhury could do little in this episode.
