I-League: Injury-time goal helps Churchill beat Kashmir 2-1

KOLKATA: Fredsan Marshall's strike in injury time at the end of the second half helped Churchill Brothers seal a 2-1 win over Real Kashmir FC in the I-League at the VYBK stadium in Kolkata on Friday. Churchill took the lead in injury time of the first half through Luka Majcen (45+1 minutes) after which Lukman Adefemi (67 minutes) equalised for Real Kashmir. Just as it looked like the two teams may split two points between them, Marshall took a shot from a distance to win the match for Churchill.

Churchill Brothers were explosive in the first half, restricting Real Kashmir FC mostly in their own half, and could have led by at least three goals to nil. Real Kashmir failed to make even a single goal-scoring opportunity in the half.

The attacking duo of Zuniga and Majcen upfront gradually gave the Snow Leopards defence a lot of trouble. In the 35th minute, Zuniga went on a solo run and dribbled past two challenges, only to force the goalkeeper into making a good save.

If the first half belonged to Churchill, the second belonged to Real Kashmir. The Snow Leopards started quick off the block, spurred by conceding late in the first half. A Chesterpaul Lyngdoh goal was denied in the 54th minute courtesy of the referee flagging the play for an earlier foul.

In the 57th minute, Churchill goalkeeper Shilton Paul made a good save to deny Mason Robertson's header from close range after the lanky Robertson was found by a well-timed cross by Pratesh Shirodkar.

In the 67th minute, Adefemi produced a stunner to level the score. The Nigerian edged past Joseph Clemente and with his outside of the boot connected to a cross from the right flank. The volley went crashing into Shilton Paul's net and the scoreline read 1-1.

However, Churchill substitute Marshall ended up returning the lead back to his team. In stoppage time, the midfielder ran on towards goal with the opposition defence backing out from tackling. He took a shot from a vdistance and the ball crashed into the bottom right corner of the goal. IANS

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