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Churchill Brothers FC locked horns with Rajasthan United FC at the Naihati Stadium for their I-League Phase 2 encounter. The Red Machines finished fifth in the table at the end of their Phase 1 campaign, while the debutants finished seventh.
Both sides have been fairly competitive in the tournament despite their position in the table.
Rajasthan United FC started the game on the front foot. Francesc Bonet's side displayed their mastery on the ball as Churchill Brothers FC sat back soaking pressure. Bonet's side had their first chance at goal when a long ball found Pedro Manzi but the danger was taken care of by the defender.
Gnohere Krizo started up front for the Red Machines but his first touch was an issue for Antonio Fernandez's side going forward.
Rajasthan United FC had a chance created by Pedro Manzi cleared by a Churchill Brothers FC defender that was followed by an Omar Ramos shot from outside the box. Shilton Paul was in place to block the attempt.
Antonio Fernandez's were lethal on the counter. Komron Tursunov set up his teammate after a darting run on the right flank but the striker failed to connect with the cross.
Moments later, the Tajik winger scored a stunner to give his side the lead in the match. Kenneth Ngwoke's pacey run down the left wing allowed him space to pass the ball. The ultimate pass fell to Komron, who after dropping a shoulder beat the defender and let out a powerful blow towards Bhaskar Roy's left.
Since the goal, Churchill Brothers FC have looked menacing with their players pressing Rajasthan United FC in the middle of the park. Omar lost possession as a result of the press and the ball was passed to Ngwoke by Komron. Ngwoke wrestled with Ricky to get past him and launched a low powerful shot. But it was wide off the mark.
The Red Machines added a second goal towards the end of the half. Krizo chested down a Kapil Hoble throw-in to ease it off to Kingslee. Kingslee turned inside out before whipping in a low cross for Komron, who had arrived in front of goal.
However, Rajasthan FC's Tarif Akhand's miskicked the ball into his own net, allowing Antonio Fernandez's side some breathing space.
Desperate Rajasthan United FC unable to over deficit against Churchill Brothers FC
The Red Machines started the second half on the front foot. Kingslee Fernandes was a constant threat to Francesc Bonet's defense, operating from the left flank. He kept bombarding the Rajasthan United FC box with crosses. However, as the half progressed, Bonet's side re-established themselves as the more dominant side.
Their dominance awarded them with a goal. Pedro Manzi initially set up one of his teammates for a shot that was blocked by Shilton Paul. The rebound was then picked up by Pritam Singh, who comfortably slotted the ball amidst the retreating defenders.
Churchill Brothers FC's Bryce Miranda has been impressive since his introduction to the pitch. He was involved in a well-set-up counter attack initiated by Komron Tursunov. However, the final cross from Bryce, which was intended for Ngwoke, was read by Bhaskar Roy, who managed to stop the attack.
Rajasthan United FC increased the tempo of the game, especially as the second half approached its conclusion, but a resilient Churchill Brothers FC defense managed to hold on until the final whistle.
