Final Up to date: January 08, 2023, 23:21 IST
Gokulam Kerala beat Churchill Brothers 1-0 due to Sergio Mendigutxia’s strike (IANS)
Debutant Sergio Mendigutxia scored the decisive second-half purpose to provide defending champions Gokulam Kerala a hard-fought win over the crew from Goa
Gokulam Kerala made an ideal begin to their 12 months, registering a 1-0 win over Churchill Brothers of their I-League 2022-23 match on the Payyanad Stadium on Sunday.
In a recreation the place Churchill Brothers had an attacking edge over Gokulam Kerala, it was the line of defense led by the captain Aminou Bouba that helped the hosts maintain their hattrick hopes alive because the debutant Sergio Mendigutxia scored the decisive second-half purpose.
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Each groups went shut within the preliminary minutes of the sport with Churchill’s Spanish magician Tana going shut within the fourth minute following a cross from Lamgoulen Hangshing. Nevertheless, the Spaniard skied his shot. Two minutes later, Gokulam’s Noufal crossed it to Sergio Mendigutxia, who headed it broad.
As the sport progressed, the goalkeepers at each ends noticed virtually no exercise. Gokulam primary Bilal Khan was referred to as into motion simply as soon as. Early within the recreation, a miscued cross from Lalawmpuia Sailo virtually looped into the purpose, however Bilal safely palmed the ball over the crossbar.
Noufal, a reside wire within the assault for the hosts, made many threatening runs by the appropriate, beating his markers together with his pacey dribbles. Nevertheless, he was wasteful within the remaining third.
After having fun with an attacking edge for almost all of the primary half, the guests misplaced management of proceedings and virtually conceded on the point of half-time when their custodian Albino Gomes made an important reflex save to disclaim a headed effort from Mendi, following a nook.
5 minutes into the second interval, Gomes was once more referred to as into motion. On this event, the goalkeeper pulled a fairly simple save, accumulating the ball comfortably after a shot from outdoors the field by Gokulam’s Rahul Raju.
Because the scores remained deadlocked, each the membership’s coaches regarded to the bench for contemporary legs. Inside simply minutes after coming onto the pitch, the Churchill substitute Chaitan Komarpant virtually scored the primary purpose. He belted a robust shot from 30 yards out, however his strike was met by an outstretched Bilal Khan, who saved the shot on the expense of a nook.
Ten minutes later, Mendigutxia broke the impasse. In a fast break, Gokulam’s Farshad Noor fed the ball to the Spanish striker, who linked up with Sreekuttan V.S, earlier than coming into the field and rolling the ball previous the goalkeeper.
The Gokulam defence, thereafter, stood sturdy to see out the sport within the remaining minutes. Sharif Mukhammad had a chance to equalise for the guests with a free-kick in added time, however the Afghan put an excessive amount of energy into his free-kick, which sailed over, because the guests left the Payyanad Stadium empty-handed.
Following the end result, Gokulam Kerala climbed to 3rd on the desk, above Actual Kashmir and are 4 factors behind chief Sreenidi Deccan.
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