HERO I-LEAGUE: Wolfe’s late penalty gives Churchill draw against Bagan

by FC admin February 11, 2019

Goa, February 09, 2019: Churchill Brothers FC salvaged a point against Mohun Bagan at the Tilak Maidan on Saturday as they eked out a 1-1 draw.

Anthony Wolfe’s late penalty canceled out Dipanda Dicka’s 39th-minute goal.

Churchill is third in the 12th Hero I-League table while Mohun Bagan is in sixth having played a game less.

The coaches — Petra Gigiu (Churchill Brothers) and Khalid Jamil (Mohun Bagan) — rang in numerous changes and are still searching for a win in three successive games.

This crucial period can make or break their title aspirations as the league will end within a month.

The game was a dour affair as Mohun Bagan took the lead into the break thanks to Dicka’s opportunistic strike. It was his seventh goal in the season so far.

Haitian winger Sony Norde missed an early chance and Lybian defender Hussein Eldor hit the woodwork in the 17th minute for Churchill. Dicka scored six minutes before the end of the first half.

The home team was more unsettled by the fact that they lost two key players to injury prior to conceding. Hussein Eldor was replaced by Rowlinson Rodriguez and Richard Costa was stretchered away in tears and was replaced by Aniston Fernandes.

Sony Norde was brought down inside the Churchill half by Wayne Vaz as the latter kept the Haitian in check throughout the game. Abinash Ruidas floated in the freekick to Henry Kisekka who headed towards Dicka.

The Cameroonian looked to have been well covered by Rowlinson, who in his attempt to clear, flummoxed his own goalkeeper Vicky Baskaran as he missed with his right foot and touched the ball with his left. Dicka who had not given up pursuit tapped home from close range.

Churchill regained composure in the second half and pressed on for the equalizer. They couldn’t hit the target despite a few good chances. Bagan, meanwhile, had a solid punch by Omar Elhusseiny saved by Baskaran on the half-hour mark.

Central defender Eze Kingsley who had a good game was adjudged to have brought down substitute Wolfe inside the box. The Trinidadian beat goalkeeper Shilton Paul from the spot to level things up.

The game finished at 1-1 as both teams rued another missed opportunity for getting three points. This has been the theme for both teams throughout the season.

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