I-League 2024-25: Unfortunate Own Goal Costs Churchill Brothers in 0-1 Defeat to Namdhari FC
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Salcete (Goa), Jan 8 (NationPress) Namdhari FC stunned the top-ranked Churchill Brothers with a 1-0 victory in the I-League 2024-25 at the Raia Ground on Wednesday. This defeat marks Churchill Brothers' second setback this season and significantly hinders their chances of widening their lead at the top of the standings.
Despite the loss, Churchill remains atop the table after seven matches with 13 points, while Namdhari, who had a rocky start to the season, climbed to third place with 11 points from seven games. The only goal of the match was an own goal from Churchill substitute Maibam Deny Singh just before half-time.
As expected, Churchill began the match aggressively, eager to maintain their impressive form that had brought them to the summit of the league. Meanwhile, Namdhari concentrated on disrupting play in midfield, successfully thwarting Churchill's advances for a significant portion of the first half.
The first opportunity of the match fell to Namdhari as Manvir Singh received the ball on the left side of the box, skillfully evading his defender before attempting a shot. Sayad Bin Abdul Kadir, the goalkeeper, made a brilliant save to prevent an early goal.
Churchill's first scoring chance came from the agile Anil Rama Gaonkar, who surged in from the right flank into the box and fired a shot from a tight angle. Jaspreet Singh, the Namdhari goalkeeper, made a strong save, deflecting the ball into the path of Wayde Lekay. Lekay's first-time effort was expertly blocked, resulting in a corner.
Throughout the first half, Churchill applied consistent pressure, but their struggles in the final third proved detrimental. Namdhari capitalized just before halftime when Lamine Moro netted the opening goal.
The goal originated from a Namdhari free kick on the right side. The perfectly delivered cross evaded both attackers and defenders, landing at Moro's feet in the six-yard box. Despite being closely marked by two Namdhari players, the Ghanaian managed to push the ball into the net after it took a significant deflection off Deny Singh. Namdhari took an unexpected lead going into halftime.
The second half continued with the same dynamics, and Churchill's continued failure to convert opportunities kept them at a disadvantage. Namdhari maintained their defensive strategy, occasionally disrupting the game's flow with tactical fouls and interruptions.
Churchill's best chance arose during an extended injury time when the ball fell to Rama Gaonkar at the edge of the box after a messy clearance from a Namdhari corner. The winger controlled it beautifully and struck a volley that narrowly missed the target. Namdhari skillfully managed to secure the three points through a combination of clever play and resilience.
