FC Kochin edges Churchill Brothers

By Our Special Correspondent

KOCHI, JAN. 27. FC Kochin gave its fans a lot to cheer as it chalked out a fine 2-1 win over Churchill Brothers, Goa, as the V National football league resumed at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here on Saturday night. The effort which marked the Kochi side's second win in three matches was a balanced one while for Churchill Brothers it was just the continuation of its disappointing streak.

Though into the field with a comparatively inexperienced side, FC Kochin, it was, which breathed life into the game during its initial stages with a well-orchestrated attack that had its Liberian recruit, Aaron Cole, as its fulcrum. The smooth striding Cole and his partner, M. A. Rajesh Kumar, were never starved off passes from the midfield and carry on the fight into the rival camp, though better results could have been found if the home side had utilised the flanks in a more effective manner.

Perhaps, what did stop the home side in doing so was the slowness of its star, I. M. Vijayan, to reach out to his position time and again after being deployed as a withdrawn midfielder today. Vijayan, in fact, cut a sorry figure and looked totally out of sorts during the most of the first-session, though he did display his craft towards the end especially when FC Kochin was once again in the hunt for a winner after its lead goal was negated by Francis Silveira midway through the second- half.

In contrast, the Goan outfit, which had finished runner-up last year and looked quite strong at least on paper was a disappointment, particularly for the manner in which it went about to keep its rival at bay without showing any cohesion in its attack. The side though boasting the presence of last year's top-scorer Igor Shvikrin, Francis Silveira and Brazilian Andre Requena showed little sharpness and was an abject failure in to keep the rival defence, manned brilliantly by Jo Paul Ancheri and Patrick Nuku, engaged.

This, in fact, also gave the opportunity for both Ancheri and Nuku to help out their frontline with overlapping runs down the middle and it was one such foray by the latter which produced for FC Kochin its first goal-scoring opportunity. Nuku's defence- splitting pass from the middle did provide Rajesh a good opening but the home team forward despite getting to the ball could only shoot it wide. The home team's dominance became all the more apparent as time wore on but it had to wait almost till a couple of minutes was left for the break to forge ahead.

Cole, fed from behind, looked to be in line to bury the ball past the Goan custodian Edward Ansah, as he cut through the rival defence and made a swift entry into the Churchill goal- area. However, Mahesh Gawli regaining his step was to bring down Cole during his attempt to stop the home team striker from scoring and was immediately punished by the referee, S. M. Balu, with a penalty. The spot-kick was converted by Ancheri without any fuss.

Churchill thus in arrears showed more purpose as the game resumed and did carry the fight back into its rival camp before Francis Silveira made suitable amends for his early lapses and helped his side to gain parity. Silveira's long-ranger dipped into the FC Kochin goal and Sunday Seah, who later was brought forward to don the role of a striker in place of Rajesh, was thoroughly beaten by the flight of the ball. Dullness crept in for the first time soon thereafter and the two sides looked settled for a draw, before substitute Anoj turned saviour for the home side with his winning goal, two minute before time, off an angular volley.

FC Kochin will meet Air India at the same venue in its fourth round match on February 1, while Churchill will return home to play East Bengal on February 3.

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Section  : Sport
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