MARGAO
Churchill Brothers FC and Aizawl FC will both be aiming to return to winning ways in their upcoming I-League match at the Raia Sports Complex on Sunday, at 3:30 PM.
Churchill Brothers, who have earned 13 points from seven matches, will be looking to capitalize on their home advantage and attacking strength to secure all three points. However, they come into the match on the back of a 1-0 loss to Namdhiri FC in their previous outing, which was their second defeat of the season. Despite the setback, the Goan side is currently second in the I-League standings.
On the other hand, Aizawl FC is struggling, sitting 11th in the 12-team league with just six points from seven matches. Coach Dimitrios Dimitriou of Churchill Brothers described the loss to Namdhiri FC as “disappointing” but acknowledged that Aizawl FC, despite not having foreign players, is a strong side.
“They are promoting Indian football by fielding an all-Indian squad, which is commendable,” said the Cypriot-born coach. “The match will be tough; it feels like a final for us.”
Aizawl FC has had a challenging campaign, having lost three matches, drawn three, and won one. The team has struggled to find the back of the net in the absence of foreign strikers, relying solely on Indian players.
Coach Victor Lalbiakmawiz acknowledged the impact of missing foreign players but emphasized the youth and potential of his squad. “We are a young team, including the coaching staff, and we have learned a lot from the seven matches we’ve played so far. We’ll continue to improve from our mistakes,” he said.
Despite recent setbacks, Lalbiakmawiz remains optimistic about Aizawl FC’s future performances, stating, “Losing the last match after leading 3-0 was disappointing, but we are focused on getting positive results moving forward.”
