MARGAO
Churchill Brothers FC fell to a 1-0 defeat against Namdhari FC in their home match at Raia Sports Complex on Wednesday, despite dominating possession and creating several scoring opportunities.
The loss saw their lead at the top of the table remain narrow, with only two points separating them from their competitors.
The home side had two clear opportunities early in the game, with midfielder Anil Gaonkar’s shot in the 15th minute being expertly blocked by Namdhari’s goalkeeper, Jaspreet Singh. Churchill Brothers came close again but failed to break the deadlock as Singh made crucial saves to deny them.
At the other end, Namdhari FC posed a constant threat. Brazilian forward Clesdon Carvalho D Silva managed to beat his marker, but Churchill Brothers’ captain Aubin Koukakou made a timely intervention to stop him inside the penalty area. The breakthrough came just before the halftime whistle when Bhupinder Singh took a free kick that was met by Ghanaian defender Lamine Moro, whose shot took a deflection off Maibam Deny Singh, giving Namdhari a 1-0 lead.
In the second half, Namdhari continued to apply pressure, creating several opportunities, particularly against the Real Kashmir defense. Churchill Brothers responded with a more aggressive approach but were unable to find the back of the net, leaving them frustrated.
Harpreet Singh, head coach of Namdhari FC, expressed his satisfaction with the victory. "It was an important win against a strong team. Despite facing challenges, we managed to score before halftime, which made a huge difference. We are pleased with the result, though there were many mistakes. We still have some technical work to do," Singh said.
He praised his team’s efforts, acknowledging their resilience. "This win boosts our morale and keeps our chances alive until the final round. I’m proud of the players and grateful for their performance."
With this victory, Namdhari FC moved up to third place with 11 points from 7 matches, while Churchill Brothers FC, despite the loss, remained at the top with 13 points from 6 matches.
