DULER
Churchill Brothers SC secured a narrow 1-0 win over Panjim Footballers in the Goa Football Association Selvel Goa Professional League at Duler Stadium, Mapusa, on Wednesday. Afdal scored the lone goal in the 27th minute.
In early action, Joyson Gauncar sent in a good delivery into the box, which was cleared for a corner by Asif before a Panjim player could get to the end of it. Panjim were more attacking of the two teams in the early minutes and nearly scored in the 13th minute when Pandurang struct a brilliant left-footed volley, meeting a long diagonal ball from the right, forcing the Churchill keeper Nora Fernandes to push the ball for a corner.
In the 22nd minute, Afdal tried his luck from a distance but his effort went off target. Churchill broke the deadlock with Afdal netting his first goal in the league from a perfect header. Sourav played Pushkar from the right wing and the latter sent in a delivery into the box, where Afdal nodded home. Panjim’s Joe Bence, starting his first game of the season in the goal, made fine saves to deny Churchill from scoring further. From crosses to long balls in the box, the young keeper handled it well.
In the second half, Joe made a fine save to block Shubert's goal-bound shot as the keeper pushed the ball back into the play. In the 58th minute, Afdal made a fine run into the rival box and with the Panjim defenders cornering him, squared it to Shubert, who set up Pushkar but the final shot was brilliantly saved by the Panjim goalie. In the last quarter of the match, Churchill Brothers missed a chance to increase the lead as Kimron's snap-shot narrowly went past the left post.
