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It was a crucial encounter as Churchill Brothers hosted title contenders Mohun Bagan at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco, Goa.
The home side Churchill Brothers started the match in the ninth position on the table battling relegation with 17 points from their sixteen matches this season. Mohun Bagan, on the other hand, began in the fourth spot with 27 points from the same number of matches and a chance to leapfrog their fierce rivals East Bengal on the table.
Mohun Bagan won the crucial match with a 2-1 scoreline as Nikhil Kadam and Akram Moghrabi scored either side of the goal by Osagie Monday as they keep their title hopes alive. The Mariners moved into the third spot with a total of 30 points from their seventeen matches so far.
Churchill Brothers
James Kithan (5/10) - The Churchill keeper had a quiet first half as Mohun Bagan did not have many attacks on the goal. He was beaten twice in the second half when Kadam and Moghrabi scored past him.
Osagie Monday (7/10) - The Churchill skipper played in central defence for the home side and was strong with his tackles and even had a goal disallowed in the first half. He was a threat going ahead as well scoring in the second half equaliser with an easy finish in the 74th minute.
Denechandram Meitei (5/10) - The left-back for the Goan side was kept busy on his flank as the Bagan wingers attacked with intent.
Hussain Eldor (5.5/10) - The centre-back partnered with Monday in the Churchill defence and was a strong presence in the backline having to deal with the threat of the league's top scorer Dipanda Dicka inside the box.
Richard Costa (5.5/10) - The local boy played alongside Ceesay and put in an industrious shift with movement up and down the midfield. He moved the ball around well in the centre for the home side.
Dawda Ceesay (6/10) - The tall midfielder played as the defensive midfielder for the Red Machine and did a good job of breaking up Mohun Bagan plays with his physicality. He had a couple of efforts from long-range that tested Shilton Paul in the Bagan goal.
Israil Gurung (6/10) - The youngster was the go-to man for Churchill on setpieces and provided good deliveries into the box. It was his cross that was put in by Monday but the goal was disallowed by the referee.
Britto PM (6.5/10) - The left winger for the Goan side was always threatening with his skills and ability to take on the Bagan defenders on the flank with his pace. He put in a lot of crosses into the box from the left side for the Churchill attackers.
Uttam Rai (5/10) - The Indian winger had an unproductive game as he struggled against the away defence. He was replaced in the second half by Nicholas Fernandes.
Jeancy Siyo (5/10) - Siyo played behind Frincis in the Churchill attack and found it tough against the Bagan defenders. He was substituted in the second half when Bektur Uulu came on to replace him.
Onyeama Frincis (6/10) - Frincis played the lone man up ahead for Churchill and was moving all across the box making it tough for the Bagan defence.
Substitutes:
Nicholas Fernandes (5.5/10) - The Goan lad came on to replace Uttam Rai and did well on the left flank with his pace and movement to provide good balls for the attackers.
Bektur Uulu (4/10) - The attacker replaced the misfiring Siyo for the home side as the Churchill coach introduced fresh legs in the second half.
Pawan Kumar (4/10) - The defender came on to replace Britto PM in the second half of the match.
Mohun Bagan
Shilton Paul (5.5/10) - The veteran Bagan keeper was tested throughout the match by the Churchill attackers from long distance. He conceded in the second half when Monday scored to equalise for the home side.
Arijit Bagui (6/10) - The young right-back was a constant attacking option from the back as he made runs up and down the flank, even doing well defensively against Britto. He combined well with Nikhil Kadam up ahead in the midfield.
Kinshuk Debnath (6/10) - The skipper of the Bagan side was a stable presence in the Bagan defence as they dealt with the threat of Frincis inside the box. He made a lot of clearances from the long balls put in by the Churchill midfielders.
Kingsley Eze (6/10) - The former Aizawl FC man was the enforcer in the defence as he used his physical presence well to deal with the Churchill attacking threat.
Gurjinder Singh (5.5/10) - The left-back came in place of Ricky in the lineup and did well on the flank as he made a lot of overlapping runs combining well with the midfielders ahead of him.
Nikhil Kadam (8/10) - The former Mumbai FC and DSK Shivajians winger was a constant threat for the Churchill defenders and came through for Bagan when he slotted his effort past Kithan with a calm finish early in the second half. He was awarded the Hero of the Match for his impressive performance.
Cameron Watson (6/10) - The Australian midfielder was the calming force in the Bagan midfield as he moved the ball well across the park for the home side. He kept looking for the runs of the wingers ahead of him and used his passing ability well.
Yuta Kinowaki (6/10) - The defensive midfielder played the first defensive line for the Bagan side as Churchill Brothers asserted control in the first half. He did well to break up Churchill plays and start attacks from the back.
Azharuddin Mallick (4/10) - The youngster played on the left flank in the first half but had a tough time dealing with the Churchill defence. He was replaced by Shaikh Faiaz just after the half-hour mark.
Asier Dipanda Dicka (6.5/10) - The target man for Mohun Bagan was a threat inside the box and had a lot of efforts on the goal. He came close to scoring on a couple of occasions and did well with his movement in attack.
Akram Moghrabi (7/10) - The former Churchill man played behind Dipanda Dicka in attack and was a threat during setpieces and played well off the ball. He got the winning goal in the second half when he headed Faiaz's cross into the net.
Substitutes:
Shaikh Faiaz (6/10) - The young winger came on to replace Mullick in the first half and did well utilizing his pace to trouble the Churchill defenders. He put in the cross that was headed in by Moghrabi for the match-winning goal.
Raynier Fernandes (4/10) - The Mumbai-born youngster came on in the second half to contain the Churchill midfield who had begun to look threatening.
Rana Gharami (3/10) - The defender replaced Dicka in the final minutes of the match as Mohun Bagan increased defensive cover to see out the win.
