Churchill Brothers played out a goalless draw against Mohammedan SC
in a top of the table clash here at the Kalyani Municipal Stadium in Kalyani,
West Bengal today (January 14, 2021). In a tactical match where chances were
rare, both teams cancelled each other out in the middle of the park, sharing
the spoils of battle at the end of the match.
Churchill Brothers dominated possession in the opening minutes of the
match but gradually the match evolved into an end-to-end affair. In the 7th
minute, Sanjib Ghosh was provided with a golden opportunity to put Mohammedan
SC ahead, much against the run of play, but the midfielder hoofed his shot over
the bar.
Thereafter both teams played cautiously and chances became rare for
either. Clayvin Bernardez who scored a hattrick in Churchill Brother’s last
match was held at bay by the Mohammedan defence, forcing him to shoot from
distance as the two central defenders closed him quickly. As Mohammedan SC’s
midfield play was being matched step for step, the Black Panthers expanded
their midfield and tried to play from the wings.
In the 26th minute, Hira Mondal ran clear from the left flank in an
attempt to release a pin-point cross but his delivery was cut short. For the
majority of the first half, both teams cancelled each other out and often kept
play limited in the midfield. In the 41st minute, Luka Majcen tried to volley
off a corner kick, but shot the ball over the bar. With nothing to separate the
two teams and chances being rare, both teams went into the tunnel on level
pegging as the half-time score-line read 0-0.
The complexion of the match did not change much in the second half.
A defending error in the 48th minute could have led to a Churchill goal when
Asheer Akhtar slipped in the defending third, allowing Miranda to break free
and release a delicious cross for Majcen. However, Roy intercepted the ball and
cleared the danger to keep the scoreline level.
Mohammedan SC sat deep in their half in attempts to thwart any
counterattacks. In the 73rd minute, Clayvin Bernardez was fouled by Shilton
D’Silva. Bernardez’s attempt from the freekick, however, went way over the bar.
In the dying embers of the match, both teams played even more
cautiously as chances became extinct, in hopes of at least getting a point from
the match and not falling prey to a late winner by their opposition. With both
teams holding onto possession and rarely committing bodies in the attack, the
tempo of the match slowed down. At the end of the match, both teams shared the
spoils of battle as neither team could trump the other.
Lpjyds
May 04, 2021 14:16 [IST]