NAIHATI: Former champion Churchill Brothers produced a hard-fought 2-1 win against Rajasthan United FC to start the championship leg of the I-League on a promising note, at the Naihati Stadium on Tuesday.
Komron Tursunov gave Churchill Brothers the lead midway through the opening half by finishing a fine counter-attack. Rajasthan United defender Tarif Akhand miscued an attempted clearance into his own goal to help Churchill Brothers double the lead in the injury-time of the first half and record its fifth straight win of the tournament.
N. Pritam Singh pulled one back for Rajasthan United late in the second half but Churchill Brothers managed to preserve the slender lead despite being reduced to 10 men in the injury-time of the second half. Substitute Quan Gomes was marched off following the second booking of the match.
Later in the day, NEROCA FC and Sreenidi Deccan FC played out a drab goalless draw at the Kalyani Stadium. The result saw Sreenidi Deccan tallying 23 points from 14 matches to remain in the fourth spot while NEROCA continued at the seventh place of the current standings with 19 points. Churchill Brothers (23 points) and Rajasthan United FC (19) took the fifth and sixth spots respectively. Agencies
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