I-League 2017-18: Churchill Brothers face daunting task against high-flying Minerva Punjab

Vasco: Churchill Brothers would look to bounce back from their previous match defeat when they take on table toppers Minerva Punjab in their I-League match on Friday. [caption id=“attachment_4315005” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Churchill Brothers celebrating a goal. Image Courtesy: Twitter/@ILeagueOfficial[/caption] Churchill put up a good performance in the new year to remain unbeaten until they lost to NEROCA FC in the last match and they now remain once again at the bottom of the league table with 10 points from 10 matches. “We should have won the match against NEROCA easily after dominating the entire second half. We created a lot of scoring chances. We cannot repeat the same mistakes tomorrow against a side who are leading the table and have been consistent so far,” Churchill assistant coach Alfred Fernandes said. “We will get few scoring opportunities against them who are leading the chart and have been unbeaten after they lost their only match against Aizwal. It’s our crucial home match and we need to collect full points to climb up the ladder,” he added. Fernandes mentioned Bhutanese Chencho Gyeltshen as a dangerous player. “They have Chencho Gyeltshen who is good but we have plans to take care of him. My only worry is that my players do not waste opportunities. Our opponent is a well balance side and we need to play collectively to overcome them,” he said. He said all his players, except for Utam Rai, are fit and available for selection for tomorrow’s match. Rai suffered an injury in Churchill’s last match against NEROCA. I-League debutants Minerva Punjab have been playing well as a unit and in-form Bhutanese winger Chencho will be the main threat to the home side. Minerva will go all out to consolidate their position at the top as they are two points above second place NEROCA. Minerva’s head coach Khogen Singh is pleased with his team’s performance so far. “We have won five away matches and with this good record we hope to come out victors tomorrow to consolidate our position at the top,” he said. “Churchill are not the same side that played in the first five matches. After their new foreign recruits, they look stronger and we need to play as a team. They also have home advantage but our boys are ready for the challenge and we are expecting a close contest,” stated Khogen.