Two-time champions Churchill Brothers will lock horns with Real Kashmir FC in a I-League match in Margao on Wednesday with both sides eager to achieve consistency in their respective campaigns.
Churchill Brothers are currently placed fifth on the table with 16 points, while Kashmir are a point behind in seventh position. A win for either side will see them rise to third place on the standings.
A stoppage-time victory over Aizawl has served as a huge morale-booster for Churchill, in stark contrast to their preceding outing against Chennai City where the they were on the receiving end of a stoppage-time knockout at the hands of the reigning kingpins.
This has been the story of Churchill’s season, with inconsistency costing them gravely on occasions.
“...we have managed to create many goal-scoring opportunities but unfortunately, we have also squandered a lot of chances and then the opponents have capitalised and gone on to score. This has been the story of our last few games,” said Bernardo Tavares, Head Coach, Churchill Brothers FC.
Weighing in on their dramatic win against Aizawl, he added, “Versus Aizawl, we could have gone to the break with a two-three goal lead because we had clear chances, but unfortunately we didn’t take them.
“We ended up allowing the opponent to claw their way back, but fortunately, the team believed that it was still possible to score another goal and we managed to score in the last minute of stoppage time. It was a victory that brought us some relief.”
Real Kashmir, on the other hand, were on course to weave a victorious streak but their three-game winning run came to a screeching halt against fellow title hopefuls Punjab FC, with the home side winning 1-0 in Ludhiana.
Commenting on whether the defeat has deflated their role in the title-race, head coach David Robertson said, “It will be tough for any team to catch Mohun Bagan but we always take each game as it comes and never look beyond the next game.
“There’s still a lot to play for in this league. Our priority right now, as I said before, is the next 90 minutes which is against Churchill.