KALYANI
Gokulam Kerala came from behind to hold Churchill Brothers FC to a 1-1 stalemate in the I-League here on Saturday.
Ikechukwu Kenneth Ngwoke broke the deadlock by scoring the opener in the 15th minute. However, his goal was cancelled out by Jourdain Fletcher.
Gokulam Kerala dominated the game in terms of ball possessions (69%) and shots on target (13) but they were forced to settle for a draw in the end. The league leaders Gokulam Kerala started the game on the offensive, pressing relentlessly in the hopes of breaking the deadlock early. They also had back-to-back chances inside 10 minutes, but they were unable to convert them.
In the meantime, Churchill Brothers FC relied on their defence to prevent their opponents from scoring an early goal. After securing the backline, Churchill Brothers started their counter-attack, and they were soon rewarded when Nigerian forward Kenneth Ngwoke tricked the opposing goalkeeper Akshit Dagar to put his team ahead in the 15th minute.
Richard Costa set him up with a looping cross, and the 29-year-old made no mistake as he slammed the ball into the net. After conceding the opening goal, Gokulam Kerala raised their game in pursuit of an equaliser. Churchill Brothers, on the other hand, kept their cool and did not allow their opponents to level the game.
Churchill Brothers' defence was compact, despite Gokulam's constant attacks down the channels. Churchill's fullbacks didn't leave much room for the reigning champions around the 18-yard box to create clear-cut opportunities.
Jithin MS received the first yellow card of the match in the 36th minute for a harsh foul as a result of Gokulam Kerala's persistent attack. However, they were also successful in levelling the contest as Jourdain Ronaldo Fletcher pulled one back for his side in the 38th minute.
Mohammed Jasim dashed down the line, outrunning a couple of Churchill defenders before passing to Fletcher in the box, who slammed the ball into the net. Following that, both teams increased their intensity in an attempt to grab the lead by scoring their second goal, but they were unsuccessful in their attempts.
