Heading into the fixture, both sides were searching for their first win of the campaign, having picked up just a point each from their opening two matches. MYJ, playing their third consecutive home game, showed intent right from the start and looked the more threatening side in the opening exchanges.

Their persistence paid off in the 35th minute when Arif Shaikh found the breakthrough. A well-directed header from Shravan Shetty into the box set up the striker perfectly, allowing him to tap home and give MYJ a deserved lead.

At the other end, goalkeeper Paramjeet Singh played a crucial role in maintaining the advantage, producing a series of fine saves to deny NEROCA and ensure MYJ went into the break with a 1-0 lead.

MYJ carried their momentum into the second half and doubled their advantage in the 51st minute. Arvindraj rose well to head home after a delivery from Dion caused confusion in the NEROCA defence, marking his second goal of the season.

The hosts continued to push forward and nearly extended their lead further, with Ashish striking the crossbar after a strong attacking move, coming close to putting the game beyond reach.

NEROCA, however, kept fighting and pulled one back late in the 89th minute from a corner, setting up a tense finish. Despite the late pressure, MYJ remained composed at the back and saw out the game to secure all three points.

The result marks a historic moment for MYJ, as they claim their first win in their debut I-League 2 campaign, while NEROCA FC continue their search for a first victory this season.

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Excerpts

How are you feeling after this switch from DSouza FA to Neroca FC?

It’s like a dream come true, I have worked so hard to reach here, and it feels good to get results finally. Playing at this level can be arduous, hence the focus is to take one step at a time.

 Run us through your initial days in football and the journey so far?

I have loved the sport since childhood. My journey was never a smooth sail, but persistence made it count. I’ve worked hard and tried to dream big always. I think that is the reason I received an opportunity. My family played a pivotal role in my journey, and so did my friends. (laughs)

Learnings from last season with Dsouza FA?

Last season was incredible for me. I scored many goals and won many games!

DFA helped me build the basics. Thanks to the coaches, teammates and staff. I have shared unforgettable memories with this club, which can be cherished for a lifetime. Special thanks to my constant motivator Clayton Dsouza sir.

 Future plans and ambitions?

I plan to perform and give my everything to Neroca FC and their fans. I hope we will get back on track and win the I-League. My ultimate dream is to represent India. 

Madan also had a brief stint in Spain. He represented Elite Union Academy in Europe’s biggest youth tournament, the MIC cup in Spain. He has also been to Spain before at 16 to play for Malaga City FC in Torrox Cup 2017-18.

Enlisting himself in the elite club, the 20-year-old left-winger looks forward to a bright season in the I-League with added zeal and commitment!

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Real Kashmir, however, powered by a brace from Danish Farooq (29′, 48′) and Bazie Armand (57′) wrapped the game in style. Danish Farooq was adjudged the Hero of the match for this game.

In the game between Neroca FC and debutants Real Kashmir FC, it were the visitors Real Kashmir FC who pressed hard right from the start. They nearly scored a goal in the 10th minute but an unfortunate foul on the keeper saw the snow leopards goal disallowed.

Neroca FC who mostly attacked on the counter were unable to create a lot of chances thanks to some good defending by Real Kashmir FC. Neroca’s attacks soon yielded results when Subash Singh drew first blood for the hosts in the 18th minute through a pass from Chencho.

Real Kashmir now trailing by a goal started pressing harder but were unable to breach past the Neroca defence. Both the teams were defending well but Real Kashmir kept pressing hard and soon found their equalizer when an accurate pass from Surchandra Singh saw Danish Farooq make no mistake in finding the back of the net in the 29th minute.

The game thereafter was a mix of attacks from both Neroca FC and Real Kashmir FC with the visitors attacking more prominently but either team could not find the lead, as they would have wanted. The first half came to a close with both Neroca FC and Real Kashmir FC tied at 1-1.

At the Khuman Lampak Stadium, it were Real Kashmir who took the attacking lead at the start of the second half. Their pressure soon yielded results as Real Kashmir FC took a 2-1 lead in the 48th minute through Danish Farooq who scored his second goal of the game.

Neroca FC, trailing by a goal, now shifted gears and started pressing hard but lack of luck for them and great defending by Real Kashmir FC eluded them from finding the equalizer.

Real Kashmir FC scored their third goal in 57th minute when Bazie Armand headed it in giving the visitors comfortable 3-1 lead. Neroca FC, thereafter, pressed really hard but couldn’t create many opportunities to their favour. Their only consolation was their second goal which happened to come in the added time (90’ + 4’) through Felix Chidi, finally losing the game to Real Kashmir FC 2-3.

With this loss, Neroca FC finish their campaign in the sixth place with 26 points while Real Kashmir FC propel to the third position with 36 points on their debut season.

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Two games beginning simultaneously at two venues at 2 PM IST – one at Imphal’s Khuman Lampak stadium between local side Neroca FC and debutants Real Kashmir FC, and the other at Aizawl’s Rajiv Gandhi Stadium between hosts Aizawl FC and Goan giants Churchill Brothers FC might see the league’s third place decided at the end of 90 minutes.

The larger battle across the two games is really between Churchill Brothers and Real Kashmir. The Goans are placed third currently with 34 points and will be ending their league campaign on Saturday.

Kashmir are a point behind in fourth, but with a re-scheduled game in hand against Minerva, will know that if they win on Saturday and Churchill do not, the third spot is secure and that would still qualify as a stupendous effort on debut.

It will certainly not be easy for the David Robertson-coached ‘Snow Leopards’, given Neroca are a proud team and are very strong at home, where they have lost only once in this campaign to Quess East Bengal, that too in their very first game over four months back.

Even in the first round clash at the TRC ground in Srinagar, Neroca ran out 2-0 winners over Kashmir, courtesy a brace by their premiere Nigerian striker Felix Chidi, who has found the back of the net seven times this season.

Kashmir have not won in three games, have been criss-crossing the country over the past 10 days and given the strength of their opponents, are in for a lot of hard work to cement third-spot on Saturday.

Churchill, on the other hand, will feel more confident if they can jog their memories back to the first-leg fixture between the two sides at the Tilak Maidan in Goa, where a rampant home side had overwhelmed Aizawl 4-1.

Under new coach Stanley Rozario however, Aizawl are a transformed and inspired side. They have picked up three wins in the last four matches and with the added incentive of finishing a spot above their current eighth position following a good result on Saturday, will be dangerous at home.

Churchill will bank heavily on the league’s joint top scorer Willis Plaza. The Trinidadian has had a phenomenal season and his 20 goals have been a masterclass in clinical finishing after a tough season last time around.

Both coaches Rozario and Churchill’s Romanian coach Petra Gigiu did not ooze confidence at the pre-match presser. While Gigiu was concerned about his players being tired after a gruelling season, the Aizawl coach had concerns on injuries and suspension. Both, however, promised a strong showing.

What will also please the Aizawl coach in particular, is the fact that in their previous two back-to-back wins, the team has scored seven goals and finally looked like gelling together as a team. Certainly, Saturday promises an exciting day of Hero I-League football.

Also Read: Joseph winner helps Gokulam steer clear of relegation

Also Read: Esqueda and East Bengal take title race to final day!

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Second half goals from Ghanaian Daniel Addo and Trinidadian Marcus Joseph secured three points for the home side after Nigerian Felix Chidi had scored his seventh of the 12th Hero I-League, to give Neroca a lead in the first half.

The win takes the Gokulam side to the ninth place on the points table. They are just above Minerva Punjab FC, thanks to a better head-to-head record.

More importantly, this steers them clear of the relegation zone, as bottom-placed Shillong Lajong can now only equal the Kozhikode-based side if they win their last two games. However, Gokulam have a better head-to-head record with Lajong, and thus cannot mathematically finish in the drop zone.

Neroca coach Manuel Fraile made as many as four changes to his starting XI before the game, while his Gokulam counterpart Gift Raikhan made two from their previous defeat against Aizawl.

The game began at a slow pace. Daniel Addo had a toe-poke in the 11th minute and then there was an effort by Chidi for Neroca at the quarter of an hour mark which ballooned over.

Then Eduardo could not connect for Neroca effectively with his header, off a free-kick in the 17th minute. Gokulam’s Nigerian forward Emmanuel was then put through by Arjun Jayaraj, but Naocha Singh in the Neroca defence made a timely interception to thwart him.

Neroca were using the right wing very effectively and the goal eventually came from there when Malem latched on to a ball on the channel and made a run towards the box. Looking up, he spotted a run from Japanese winger Katsumi Yusa inside the box and delivered a perfect cross.

The Japanese failed to connect but Felix Chidi stabbed home for an easy finish. It was the Nigerian’s seventh goal of the campaign.

From that point on, Gokulam were stirred into action with Marcus Joseph being the catalyst.

He first attempted a snapshot on target in the 28th minute but it brought about a good save from Lalit Thapa in the Neroca goal.

Another one from Marcus two minutes later was even better and more powerful, bringing about an even better reaction save from Thapa. He then lined up a third shot in the 33rd, a powerful strike this time from outside the box, but Thapa was up to it again.

The Trinidadian pro-league top scorer then got at the end of a decent cross from the right from Irshad, but his free-header from inside the box lacked direction. In the 38th minute, Deepak put in a good cross on the overlap for Emmanuel to just connect and get the direction right, but he faltered on the latter part from close to goal.

Gokulam did get the equalizer, not in the first half, but as soon as the second begun. Marcus passed seemingly harmlessly to Daniel Addo in the center of midfield well inside the Neroca half. The former U-20 FIFA World Cup winning Ghanaian, trapped, took a touch forward and then looking up to spot the opportunity, unleashed a well-placed powerful right-footed strike to beat Thapa all ends up.

Bhutanese winger Chencho had a chance to get Neroca back ahead a few minutes later, after Malem had set him up inside the box but Arnab Das Sharma in the Gokulam goal came up with a save this time.

A minute later, Emmanuel rounded keeper Thapa, but missed the target from inside the box wide on the left. He failed to connect again a minute later after an Arjun Jayaraj cross found him. Thapa was equal to it again.

Gokulam were not to be denied their first win in an incredible 13 games and in close to four months though, as in the 82nd minute, Daneil Addo with the assist this time, found Marcus with a lovely ball from his own half.

The Trinidadian broke away, and with the ball on his favorite left-foot in a one-on-one with Thapa, placed it in the Neroca net over the keeper’s left shoulder. Yet another clinical finish and his sixth goal in his eighth Hero I-League game.

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Chennai City FC is the league leader and is two points clear of debutants Real Kashmir FC. Neroca is in the fifth spot.

The visitors scored thrice in the first half as Pedro Manzi (34’; 41’; 45’+1’) registered his fourth hat-trick of the season. Neroca bounced back in the second half through Felix Chidi’s 52nd-minute strike followed by a goal each from Chencho and Aryn Williams in the 68th and 88th minutes respectively.

Manzi was adjudged the Hero of the Match.

Chennai missed one part of their Spanish armada as defender Roberto Eslava didn’t play with Pandiyan being his replacement. Slovak utility player Jozef Kaplan featured in the first XI as coach Akbar Nawas put Jesuraj on the bench.

Manuel Fraile also made two changes to the home team’s starting line-up as he played Tondomba Singh and U-22 player Naocha Singh in place of Ashok Singh and Abdul Salam respectively.

Neroca dominated the first half as left-winger Singham Subhash Singh troubled the Chennai defence with repeated forays down the left flank.

Two such forays in the 17th and 20th minutes found out Katsumi. The Japanese went closer from the first attempt as he made good contact on the near post but missed the target.

A wonderful ball from Aryn Williams in the 26th minute found Chencho through. The Bhutanese sniper rounded the goalkeeper only to have his attempted cross from a narrow-angle cut out for a corner.

But in the 34th minute, as has been the norm this season, Chennai’s Spanish trio combined to give them the lead against the run of play.

Sandro found Nestor Jesus on the left flank with a long ball from just inside Chennai’s own half. The mercurial Nestor cut in and played Manzi in. Manzi swooped in and slid the ball into the net between goalkeeper Lalit Thapa’s legs. It was his 14th goal of the season so far! Nestor also recorded his sixth assist with as many goals in the season.

Liberian defender Varney Kallon inexplicably gave the ball away to Manzi with only the goalkeeper to beat. The striker drove forward and coolly slotted home over the custodian’s right shoulder in the 41st minute.

Neroca had a chance to get a goal back as Malem was in the clear thanks to a fine ball by Aryn Williams. But the midfielder’s powerful strike was superbly saved by substitute goalkeeper Kabir.

Manzi completed his fourth hat-trick of the season in the first minute of added time. Pandiyan broke away on the right and delivered a cross towards goal and Manzi struck with his left foot out to beat Thapa on the near post.

Neroca had other ideas and was not going down without a fight as they struck early in the second half through substitute Felix Chidi.

Chencho played Chidi inside the box from the left in between two defenders. Chidi controlled the ball, rounded the goalkeeper, and slid it into the empty net for his sixth goal in the league so far.

A wonderful move by Williams from the right had Chidi’s header go wide of the goal from close range. Neroca who had created pressure with two successive corners got their second goal through Chencho.

Singham Subash crossed in from the right flank and Katsumi headed it back towards a lurking Chencho. He controlled and drilled the ball past goalkeeper Kabir to score his second goal in as many games.

This is Chenco’s second stint in the Hero I-League; he was the star performer the previous season.

He missed a chance to draw the game level after a defensive lapse had him one on one with Kabir, who pulled off a brilliant save to deny the hosts.

A shaky Chennai looked to have scraped through for a win only for Neroca to make it 3-3 with Williams’ goal in the 91st minute.

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The game is the final push for Chennai who is looking to win a first Hero I-League title in their four-year history.

The crunch game will be played at the Khuman Lampak stadium and is slated for a 2 PM IST kick-off.

The visitors are on the verge of winning the title as they sit atop the table with 33 points. They can ill-afford to drop their guard thanks to the competitive nature of the league.

Neroca who went off track in their title bid has lost three of their last four games and is placed fifth in the table. They and three other teams still have a realistic chance of winning the league.

Their Spanish coach Manuel Fraile had this to say: “We will be playing tomorrow against Chennai not for the first position but for the best position. We will be playing at home and that is important and we will go all out and try to take the three points. It’s an important match. I think Chencho will score again against Chennai City. If tomorrow Chennai make mistakes and we are in a good momentum and play our style, we might win although it’s hard to play against Chennai.”

He referred to ‘Bhutanese Ronaldo’ Chencho Gyeltshen who joined the Neroca ranks on loan and had scored in his first game against Quess East Bengal.

Chennai City FC has banked on their ‘Spanish Penta’ which also includes goalkeeper Santana. The Spanish Armada has delivered as they have scored 27 of Neroca’s 33 goals so far. In the last game against Indian Arrows, Sandro Rodriguez’ impeccable free-kick helped break the deadlock in the second half.

Here is what Chennai’s Singaporean coach Akbar Nawas had to say: “We hope for a much more better and improved performance against Neroca. It’s going to be a competitive match. We all know how Neroca can cause damage with their strikers. Neroca is known for pace in their attack and counters too, so we have to be prepared for this.”

We may have a cracker of a game at the Khuman Lampak Stadium!

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It was Bagan’s second successive win at home under coach Khalid Jamil. Though both teams had their chances still Norde’s 78th-minute goal sealed the deal.

The Kolkata side are placed sixth in the 12th Hero I-League table and are level on points with Neroca (fifth). It may be noted that Neroca have a better goal difference (and a game in hand) than Bagan. Bagan, who beat Minerva Punjab in the last game, pressed hard from the start but were denied by resolute defending.

Neroca too had their chances as they breached the home team’s defence in short intervals. Despite Subhash Singh and Malem (supported by Aryn Williams and Felix Chidi) being a constant threat goalkeeper Shilton Paul ensured that Bagan kept a clean sheet.

Norde and Dipanda Dicka threatened Neroca at times but the visitors held firm at the back. The first-half ended goalless.

A similar script panned out in the second as Neroca held on despite Bagan pounding at the doors. The home team attacked relentlessly to keep the visitors under pressure. Bagan lost a gilt-edged chance when Norde’s superb pass to Dicka was blocked by Lalit Thapa inside the Neroca box at the hour mark. Neroca in contrast lacked the much-needed bite in front of goal.

They soon caved in as Norde scored. The Haitian made a superb solo run on the back of Darren Caldeira’s fine pass before applying the finish. Bagan later snuffed out Neroca’s chances to ensure that the game finished at 1-0.

Mohun Bagan’s Shilton Paul was adjudged the ‘Hero of the Match’.

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“We will try to win the final game and then if luck favours us, we’ll take the trophy to Manipur. You never know what’s going to happen in football”, rightly said by the astute striker who has already pummelled four goals in the league for the orange outfit.

Kingfisher East Bengal have made a strong back of late as well as Minerva Punjab FC have been the revelation this season, whereas the Manipuri Side have silently amassed one after another win to clinch the pole position.

Minerva are currently two points adrift of them with two games in hand and it is not lost on Singam, “We have played two games more than Minerva, so they are certainly better placed than us.” Although the team can take heart from the fact that two of their remaining three games are at home.

“It’s the beauty of football that it’s so unpredictable. East Bengal showed their calibre against Chennai City FC whereas they were beaten in the earlier game. We know what’s to be done against them in our last outing, we will have to be on our toes to get the best result possible”, he added.

It looked quite positive for the team from Manipur with an unbeaten run of nine games, but a loss against Shillong Lajong followed by another to Minerva Punjab FC put them in an undesired position, “We had a really bad day on the field against Lajong and before we could get back Minerva came and beat us. It was really very disappointing for the team.”

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Defeat can be deflating for any side and it was no different for NEORCA but the way you bounce back is what separates the boys from men. NEROCA FC proved themselves by beating the in-form Churchill twice to get themselves back into the reckoning before going down fighting against his former recruiter Mohun Bagan in their final hurrah at home this season.

“We took the field with just victory on our minds. Quickfire goals in quick succession set the tone of the match. Going behind twice and then coming back strongly to earn a win ratifies Mariners’ command on the game and we had no other option from accepting the defeat”, he quipped. “What was really painful that it came in our final home game in front of our own supporters who played a big role in NEROCA FC’s resurgence.”

“Everything said, the home support has been great for us. I am a local boy and it’s a great feeling to play for a Manipuri team in the I-League”, reiterating the massive fan support the team has got this season.

People have thronged to the stadium to watch the boys in action and Subhas compares to his previous experiences. “The enthusiasm of the people towards NEROCA has been overwhelming. I’ve played for both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal and I can say that the fans of NEROCA are equally passionate if not more”, he exclaimed.

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Felix Odili (22?) scored from the 12-yard penalty spot and Bishorjit stood tall between the Red Machines and the back of the net to register a much-needed victory after back-to-back defeats back at their home.

Churchill Brothers named an unchanged squad that had beaten Indian Arrows 2-0 while there were three changes for the visiting Neroca FC. Neroca FC coach Gift Raikhan made three changes from the (0-1) defeat against Minerva Punjab FC with Saran Singh, Pritam Singh and Dhananjoy Singh coming into the playing eleven.

Govin Singh and Gopi Singh were dropped to the bench while A. Israilov did not feature in the match-day squad. Pritam Singh made an immediate impact as he drew a double save from Churchill custodian James Kithan in the 8th minute. Offensively, Neroca FC were the busier team early on as they were firing from all angles but their efforts were mostly flying off target.

They finally managed to find a breakthrough when Churchill Brothers’ fullback Wayne Vaz brought down Subash Singh in the box as the forward was racing down the left and the referee didn’t hesitate to award them a spot-kick in the 21st minute.

Felix Odili stepped up and coolly steered the ball under the outstretched arms of Kithan as the visitors led 1-0 in the 22nd minute. The home side then had to make a forced substitution when Uttam Rai injured himself and Israil Gurung replaced him. The Red Machines tried to get back into the game as they’re trying to deliver long balls to Koffi Mechac and Dawda Cissey in the middle from the middle of the pitch. But Neroca centrebacks Gouramani Singh and Varney Kallon aided by their full-backs stood tall.

After a long passage of play that saw Churchill’s Denechandram Meetei pick up a yellow card, Churchill Brothers had their first goal-scoring opportunity in the 44th minute. Some slick interchanges of passes saw Koffi try to beat Neroca goalkeeper Bishorjit Singh at the farthest corner but missed by a whisker. After the changeover, Churchill Brothers started to dominate the game.

They had a great chance when Meetei put a delicious low cross into the box that was not read by the Neroca keeper and Israil Gurung almost steered it into the net only to be denied by some last-ditch clearance.

Churchill were on the ascendancy and were turning the screws on Neroca. Bishorjit had to make a timely save to deny PM Britto who tried to curl a shot into the net from 12 yards out. Meetei also tried a shot from distance that swerved away from goal. Then came a series of attempts from a corner when Osagie Monday, Ceesay and Eldor Hussein all tried to breach the Neroca backline which held on.

Koffi had a shot after chesting down a pass from the middle but Bishorjit dived in time to hold onto it. It was then the turn of Bektur Talgat to fire at goal but that was saved again. Until the final whistle, Neroca hanged on to their slender lead to walking away with all three points to close the gap with leaders Minerva Punjab FC who are now 2 points ahead of Gift Raikhan’s boys having played two matches fewer.

Churchill Brothers FC Goa will face another daunting task in three days when they host Minerva Punjab FC and Neroca FC will host Gokulam Kerala FC on 4th January 2018 next.

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