GPL 2019-20: 5-Star Churchill Brothers thump Panjim Footballers

Willis Plaza and Mauvin Borges scored a brace each for the Red Machines.

Churchill Brothers proved too strong for Panjim Footballers as the Red Machines scored a thumping 5-0 win over their opponents in the Goa Professional League match played at Duler Stadium on Sunday.

Willis Plaza (65’, 89’) and Mauvin Borges (29’, 90+3’) scored a brace each for the Red Machines while Clencio Pinto scored from the spot kick in the 84th minute.

Churchill Brothers FC's Wendell earned the first corner in the first minute after his cross was blocked by Panjim’s Prasil. The resultant corner was cleanly swallowed by the Panjim keeper. Initial moment saw Panjim players play direct football in a bid to find some gaps in the Churchill Brothers FC midfield but their defence led by Meldon Silva and Suresh Meitei made it next to impossible for Panjim in the first quarter.

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Churchill Brothers had the best chance to score in the 20th minute when Jovel Martins played a dangerous ball in the box from the midfield which the Panjim last man Kunal Kundaikar completely missed timed his clearance attempt and the ball fell into U-20 player Preston Fernandes path, the boy had only the keeper at his mercy but his lobbed shot bounced on the crossbar and went out of play.

That was the best chance of the game for Churchill Brothers after their dominance in the first quarter. Panjim’s Vallmiky conceded a foul just outside the box when he tripped Vanlal who was making his run in the box. Of the resultant freekick, Suresh should have done better heading in Kalif Alhassan’s cross.

At the half hour mark, Churchill Brothers finally scored the goal. Jovel Martins’ delivery in the box via freekick was failed to clear by Panjim side and Maicon Borges, who was in the right place, at the right time, placed the ball in the roof of the net past Panjim keeper Preston Rego, 1-0.

Just before the breather, Jovel Martins tried his luck from inside the box only to see hit short collected by the ball boy. In the second half, Churchill Brothers continued from where they had left from and kept their attack going. Finally in the 65th minute, Churchill Brothers doubled the lead when Vanlal played a cross to Plaza who connected to get on the scoresheet to make it 2-0.

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Churchill had chance to further consolidate the lead when Kalif Alhassan found Clencio through on goal but Panjim keeper Preston Rego came with a stunning save to deny on one-on-one occasion. Later, Preston came to their side’s rescue once again with yet another brilliant save to deny Shubert Pereira. Churchill Brothers’Glen Martins played Williz Plaza through on goal, who dribbled Panjim’s last man Janis Fernandes’ but the foreigner’s last touch proved too heavy and went over the bar.

Panjim’s had a rare chance to score a goal when substitute Lloyd Cardozo initiated the play and passed to Mahesh Kumar who ran down right flank and played across to Llyod once again but his effort was collected easily by the Churchill keeper Jafar Mondal.

At the other end, Panjim’s Junio Fernandes brought down Clencio in the box and the referee made no mistake to point towards the spot. Panjim keeper Preston Rego who was outstanding throughout blocked Clencio’s spot kick but couldn’t get enough of it as the ball slowly bounced in the goal.

Once 3-0, Churchill Brothers dominated the game and scored their fourth when Jovel Martins played a cross to Plaza who was in the box, and the foreigner leapt high to nod in his second and team’s fourth goal. Panjim’s Preston Rego came with yet another save to deny Churchill’s Maivin Borges in the dying minutes of the game. In the additional time Mauvin scored a brilliant goal and this time the keeper had no chance to stop it, 5-0.

Click here for the Goa Pro League 2019-20 points table after this match.