Punjab FC started aggressively, with Bishu Sharma firing narrowly over the crossbar from outside the box in the second minute. Their early pressure paid off when Messi Bouli was brought down inside the penalty area by Gaurav Bora. The striker stepped up and confidently converted the resulting penalty, sending his left-footed effort into the top-right corner to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

Churchill Brothers gradually grew into the contest and looked to respond through their attacking players. Trijoy Dias headed wide from a Gutiérrez cross following a set-piece situation, while goalkeeper Sayad Kadir made important saves to deny Manglenthang Kipgen and Planas as Punjab searched for a second goal.

The hosts eventually found their equaliser in the 37th minute. Vincy Barretto delivered a cross into the penalty area, and Gutiérrez finished from close range, slotting the ball into the bottom-right corner to make it 1-1. However, Punjab responded almost immediately. In the 40th minute, Planas found space inside the box and drilled a right-footed effort into the bottom-left corner to restore the Shers’ advantage.

Churchill refused to back down and struck again just before half-time. Gutiérrez completed his brace in the second minute of stoppage time, turning the ball into the bottom-left corner with a close-range finish to bring the score to 2-2 and set up an intriguing second half.

Both sides continued to search for a winner after the restart. Messi Bouli came close to scoring his second in the 55th minute, but his header from Planas’ cross was saved by Kadir. At the other end, Wayde Lekay tested Punjab goalkeeper Arshdeep Singh in the 75th minute, but the effort from the right side of the box was kept out.

Punjab maintained their attacking intent in the closing stages. Bouli created another opportunity in the 82nd minute, setting up Sanathoi Singh inside the box, but Kadir produced another save to keep Churchill level. The visitors, however, continued to press and found the breakthrough they had been chasing in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Messi Bouli once again turned provider, picking out Sanathoi Singh inside the penalty area. The forward made no mistake, firing a right-footed shot into the bottom-right corner to give Punjab FC a decisive 3-2 lead and spark celebrations among the visitors.

Churchill Brothers attempted one final response, with Lekay sending a long-range effort narrowly over the crossbar, but Punjab held firm to secure a dramatic victory. In a contest featuring two comebacks and five goals, Sanathoi Singh’s last-gasp strike proved decisive, handing the Shers a memorable three points in an entertaining ISL encounter.

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Mumbai City began on the front foot, enjoying possession and looking to create opportunities through their build-up play. Brandon Fernandes came close to opening the scoring in the ninth minute after connecting with Wilmar Jordan’s cross, but Churchill goalkeeper Sayad Kadir made the save. The hosts responded quickly, with Vincy Barretto driving forward and firing just over the crossbar a minute later.

Both sides continued to search for a breakthrough, with Mumbai City attempting to threaten from set-pieces while Churchill looked to exploit spaces on the counter. Wayde Lekay tested the Islanders’ defence with a long-range effort in the 37th minute, but neither team managed to find the net before half-time.

Churchill made a key change at the break, bringing on Gaurav Bora for Alexander Yeoule, and the defender soon made a decisive impact. In the 57th minute, Anil Gaonkar delivered a cross following a short corner, allowing Bora to rise above the defence and head the ball into the net. The goal marked a landmark moment for Churchill Brothers, giving the club its first-ever goal in the ISL.

The hosts nearly extended their advantage moments later when Lekay unleashed a curling effort from distance that struck the crossbar. Mumbai City responded with a triple substitution in the 62nd minute in an attempt to regain control, but the Islanders struggled to create clear-cut chances as Churchill remained organised at the back.

Churchill continued to threaten as the match entered its final stages, and their persistence paid off in the 86th minute. Stendley Fernandes, who had come on shortly before, provided the assist for Sebastian Gutierrez, who finished from inside the box to make it 2-0 and put the hosts firmly in control.

Mumbai City were handed a late opportunity to get back into the contest when Angu fouled Akash Mishra inside the penalty area during stoppage time. Llamas stepped up and converted from the spot in the third minute of added time to reduce the deficit to 2-1. However, Churchill held their nerve through the closing moments to preserve their lead.

The result marks a memorable beginning to Churchill Brothers’ ISL journey, with Bora’s historic strike and Gutierrez’s late finish securing all three points. Mumbai City, meanwhile, will look to bounce back in their next fixture after being unable to recover from the hosts’ second-half surge.

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Newly-appointed India U-23 National Team coach Derrick Pereira has a coincidental but fascinating connection with the Tilak Maidan in Goa where the youngsters are preparing for the forthcoming AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers.

The 56-year-old coach started his playing career with Mangor Sports Club (Vasco) when he was just 15 years old. After playing for the Vasco-based club for two years, he got a call-up from Mundvel Club who were regulars in the Goa Senior Division League.

Within one year, Pereira got his first professional contract from none other than Salgaocar FC before he blew out the 18th year candle. Thereafter, he got his coaching credentials and now has been appointed as the U-23 Head Coach, one can only wonder the importance of Tilak Maidan in his life.

“Even I couldn’t believe it first when I came to know that practice sessions will be held at the Tilak Maidan for this camp. My professional playing career started here, even my first coaching (National stage) session I took here and now our first National team assignment too. It’s a nice coincidence, I must say and I’ll relive it always,” Pereira shared with www.the-aiff.com.

“After playing for Mangor and Mundvel for three years, it was really great, especially, for a 17-year-old boy like me to get a contract from Salgaocar. During the days in Mangor, we used to play at the Tilak Maidan only,” Pereira recalled.

On being asked about his first match, he rattled, “It was in January 1981 and the match was against Vasco. I was a little nervous thinking about playing at the Tilak Maidan again, that too against Vasco. Unfortunately, I miscalculated an aerial ball in the 10th minute and got a deep cut on my forehead. Coach didn’t think twice to replace me.”

After hanging his boots in 1999, he started assisting Norbert Gonsalves who was the coach of Salgaocar U-19 team. Then, after a short stint with the Goa U-21 team as the team manager, he was offered the coaching role of Vasco Sports Club. And from there, as they say, the rest is history.

“I say, it was nothing but God’s plan for me. Peter Vales took me as the team manager to Dumka (Jharkhand) with the Goa U-21 team. After coming back, Vasco offered me to coach their team for a week. I didn’t think twice before saying yes and there started my coaching career, that too at the very Tilak Maidan,” Pereira took a walk down the memory lane gleefully.

After qualifying for the National Football League from the Second Division in the 2000-01 season, Pereira continued with Vasco Sports Club for 5 years before taking up the reins of the star-studded Mahindra United Club in 2005. 19 years after starting his coaching career, the former international defender has been provided with his first-ever national team assignment to take the U-23 boys to the first-ever continental championship finals.

“After 15-20 years, it’ll be an interesting tale to share with my grandchildren, I must say”, Pereira said while he burst out in laughter, “Probably, it was something which God had planned for me beforehand. I have grown at this ground and now, it’s great to have the training sessions here before the Asian Championship.”

The India U-23 contingent will play a friendly match against Qatar U-23 National Team in Doha on March 11, 2019.

AIFF MEDIA

Also Read: Old brigade re-unite as India seek maiden AFC U-23 Championship berth

Also Read: Indian U-17 World Cup star to train at English Championship side Blackburn Rovers

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The post When life came full circle for Pereira at Tilak Maidan! appeared first on Football Counter.

Q. How does it feel to play in Kolkata against Kolkata?
A. Debabrata- This is not a new experience for me. In fact I have played in Kolkata against Kolkata couple of times before. I actually enjoy it. Tomorrow’s match is very critical for the Kolkata team, considering their game performances in the last few matches. Atletico de Kolkata is a very strong team. Right at this moment, the team is going through a bad phase. They are not dependent on their match with us. They have their own qualities and can make up with them.

Q. How is your team unity now?
A. Debabrata- The unity in our team is very strong. We have consistently played because of the same. Our performance has been consistent from the start to the semi final. We were just not getting the results initially. Otherwise our performance has been quite good and so has been our team unity.

Q. You have already reached the semi finals. From that perspective, how serious are you for tomorrow’s match? And how do you view tomorrow’s match? Any particular player from the Atletico de Kolkata team you are particularly worried about?
A. Debabrata- Each match is critical to our success, so each match is very important to us. Atletico de Kolkata is obviously a very strong team; therefore there is no one particular player that can be named.

Q. There was a phase when you played well, but were not getting results. How difficult was it for you to keep faith on yourself and on your coach?
A. Debabrata- It was actually a reverse situation. Despite the losses, the coach kept his faith high on us and the team and encouraged us all along.

Q. How does it feel to be training under a legendary player like Zico?
A. Debabrata- This is a great experience for me. I am immensely enjoying this entire experience. This training experience is like a dream come true for me.

Q. Eight years back when you came to Kolkata, you came as a coach for Japan. You had a disappointing experience on this ground. You have come back on this ground with a different team. How would you describe your comeback and what do you expect?
A. Zico- Last time we had come here for the World Cup qualifiers and we were expecting everything to be right. I was not disappointed at all last time because we had received good response from the viewers here. So I have good memories of Kolkata. The only difference I see now is that last time it was real grass and now it is artificial turf and I don’t think it is suitable to play football.

Q. How difficult is it to put out a team for a game like this where you don’t want your players to rest and yet you don’t want to lose the match?
A. Zico- I already have made a decision about tomorrow’s game and I have already kept the team ready for it and you will get to know tomorrow.

Q. Can you tell us about the first eleven for tomorrow?
A. Zico- You will get to know about it tomorrow.

Q. Who would you rather face in the semi finals, Chennaiyin FC or Atletico de Kolkata?
A. Zico- We can’t choose. We have qualified for the semifinals; we are ready and are well prepared to face any team.

Q. You have coached many teams around the world. Considering the circumstances here, your team was last at one point and the qualified for the semifinals. Would you say that this has been one of the best moments for you as a coach?
A. Zico- Of course it s one of the greatest moments of my career because it is not easy to have a turnaround like this just before the semifinals. Moreover, now every team is fighting for the top spot.

Q. Would you ask your boys to restrain temper on the pitch tomorrow?
A. Zico- I always tell all the teams that I have coached, to go on the field and play football and nothing else.

Q. What is the strong point for Atletico de Kolkata?
A. It is a great team with good and experienced players and due to which they have reached in the top four.

Q. Do you think Andre Santos is the best player in your team?
A. Zico- He is one of the best players since he is doing really well. But there are other players also in the team who are doing great.

The post FC Goa pre match press conference transcript – FC Goa vs Atletico de Kolkata appeared first on Football Counter.

Q. How does it feel after sealing a spot in the semi finals?
A. Zico- It’s a feeling of mission accomplished and all our hardwork has paid off. I am really thankful to the players because they trusted in their work. After the first phase very few people expected us to reach in the semi finals. But we believed that we will get out of this situation and the players never stopped working seriously. They continued to work hard and relentlessly and the proof of it is that we have reached this position.

Q. You squad has many young players like Narayan Das and Mandar. Do you think that that they have significantly over the period of time?
A. Zico- I always try to give them a bit of my experience as a football player as a coach and they have listened to me and believed in what I am teaching them and we all are seeing the improvement in them. I always tell them to believe in themselves and do their best and the results are that they are doing well. My role as a coach is to teach them and they are following it.

Q. There was a big section in the crowd which wanted Robert Pires to come on filed. Did he listen to them and did he think about joining the game?
A. Zico- I have to prepare my team to play football. If there was an opportunity I would have put him in the game.

Q. How does it feel after getting the emerging player award? Has Zico improved you in every game?
A. Narayan- First of all I would like to thank the coach and all the players because of whom we are in the semi finals. We played as a team and we all are very happy. We were confident that we will reach the semi finals.

Q. What is going to be the mentality of the team in the semi finals?
A. Narayan- No we have to prepare for the semi finals and practice even harder. We have to improve on all the things that the coach will tell us. Next we have is the knockout and for that we have to be more serious practice better.

Q. Most of the players are from Dempo Sports Club. Did you have to make any changes in the game plan? If yes, what changes did you make?
A. Zico- It is always good to have some players who know each other. We have many different players in the team and they have learned to play with each other. Now this is not Dempo team, but FC Goa team. Most of the players were chosen from the Dempo team, but in my opinion Goa has other strong teams as well. It would have been better if strong players were chosen from other teams as well and make one strong Goan team. But the players that we have now in the FC Goa team are best and very well representing Goa.

Q. Which part of the game you need to improve before the semis?
A. Zico- I don’t think we can make that decision at this stage. We have to keep our focus on the game. In the semi finals we cannot make any mistakes since its just two games and goal difference can change everything. So we have to be very careful.

The post Our hardwork has paid off – Zico appeared first on Football Counter.

Q. Coach, are you happy with the win today?
A. Zico- Of course I am very happy. We received an amazing reaction on the ground today and yet we had our feet on the ground. I am happy with my players’ performance. They gave their best in the practice matches and this is the fruit of that. I am very happy with the fans reactions who love football and Goa is very well represented here. I would like to congratulate the fans for the victory.

Q. How do you sense your chances against Chennai and Kolkata?
A. Zico- We are taking one step at a time. Now we have to focus only on Chennai next. They had a very good result which puts them in a very good spot. We are going to play with the same disposition and same desire and we will try to get more points

Q. There have been hardly any changes in the team in the last few matches. Is it because everything is going right or fear that things might go wrong?
A. Zico- In Brazil we always say that the team that is winning, doesn’t change. So we have kept the same team and haven’t moved the players. Many players are doing well and they have no injuries, so there is no need for a change.

Q. How difficult is to leave Robert Pires out of the matches on a consistent basis?
A. Zico- I don’t think I need to talk about that. I made the change in the midfield and they are playing well. But I want Pires to continue with the practice and so when he gets the opportunity to play, he is fit to play.

Q. The coach has selected you to play consistently. How does it feel to be replacing the likes of Clifford Miranda and playing in the final 11?
A. Mandar- I give my best in the every practice session and my teammates help me. Even Clifford Miranda helps me in everything. I feel great to play in his place

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Pires’ (40) career is a glittering testimony to his on-field achievements be it for his club or country. Pires was part of the French national squad which won the 1992 and 2000 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro finals respectively. He also represented France in the 1996 Olympic Games.

Pires’s club career is a trail of glory too. As a player he peaked during his six-year stint at Arsenal from 2000-06, where he was part of the squad which won three FA cups and two Premier League titles. He was also a part of the Arsenal squad nicknamed ‘The Invincibles’ which remained unbeaten through the season of 2003-04.

Pires has also represented FC Metz, Marseille, Villareal, Aston Villa and has played over 500 games in his career spanning over two decades. In the 79 games he played as a French international, Pires scored 14 goals.
Pires will begin practice sessions with team FC Goa starting tomorrow at Tilak Maidan.

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