Churchill scrape past Sesa FA

Churchill Brothers SC struggled before they got past Sesa Football Academy 2-1 in the Airtel Super League match played at Duler stadium, here on Sunday. 

Coach Mariano Dias looked relieved after his side finally broke the ten match winless streak. They will now take on Sporting Clube de Goa for the Super League title.

With Sunday’s win Churchill have 26 points while Sesa, having failed to earn a single point at the Super League stage, stay with 13 points.

Churchill scored a goal in each session through skipper Bineesh Balan and Alesh Sawant, while Glan Martins scored for Sesa.

The Sesa lads had better of the ball possession and a couple of attacks at the rival goal but their strikers failed to deliver the goods.

The Red Machine took the lead in the very 3rd minute where Thangjam Singh set up Bineesh Balan right into penalty box, who kept his cool by slotting the ball past keeper Jerson Pereira.

Sesa almost levelled terms in the very next minute but Agnelo Colaco’s 20-yard shot ricocheted off the Churchill’s post with the keeper beaten.

Play was restricted to midfield for almost twenty minutes when Churchill’s Thangjam and Bineesh came with a well-combined move only to find Thangjam shoot wide off the mark.

In the last ten minutes before the breather substitute Olvin Cardozo after collecting an intelligent pass from Yogesh Kadam beat his marker Naveen Sudhakaran but with only keeper to beat shot over the post much to the disbelief of his team-mate.

Another chance went abegging for Sesa in the injury time where Churchill defender Sanjay came with a timely clearance before Olvin could get to the ball from Yogesh pass.

The change of ends saw Sesa colts continue their pursuit for an equaliser but without their star striker Nigerian Chukwudi Chukwuma upfront a goal looked a distant dream for them. Play continued to be restricted to midfield until the 80th minute where Thangjam Singh came with his second assist to set up U-20 Alesh Sawant just on the edge of the box, who brilliantly curled the ball to the far corner of the goal.

Sesa’s goal came in the injury time when the curtains were already drawn. A fine square pass by Gammy Costa was finished by Glen Martins to bring some smile on the face of coach Clifford Chukwuma. 

Churchill’s Thanjam Singh received the Man of the Match award and Alesh Sawant was awarded for the Best Goal of the Match.

[PRESS RELEASE]