AGENCIES, KOLKATA: Captain Mevan Dias scored five goals as Churchill Brothers FC stunned Mohun Bagan 6-3 in front of their home supporters in their final match of the Hero Junior League (U-15) at Barrackpore stadium, Kolkata, on Friday.
The teams were locked 1-1 at half time.
Churchill had earlier lost 0-3 to Kerala Blasters FC and beat Reliance Foundation Young Champs, 3-0 while Mohun Bagan defeated Reliance Foundation Young Champs 5-1. Churchill finished second in Group B while Kerala Blasters managed to qualify for the semi-finals with a better goal difference.
“The boys played their hearts out and pressurized the Mohan Bagan defense time and again. I am really happy with the attitude the team has shown in this tournament but we were unlucky on goal difference,” said Churchill head coach Derryl D’Souza.
Mohan Bagan defender Suman Nag received a second booking in the 18th minute and was sent off but they still took lead in the 43rd minute through their striker Dip Mahata but their joy was short-lived as Churchill equalised in the very next minute through Mevan.
In the second half, coach Derryl’s talks worked well as Churchill started with renewed sense of purpose. Mohun Bagan defender Arnab Sharna couldn’t handle the pace of Aditya Salgaonakr and brought him down inside the box. The Goan side took the lead through a penalty converted by Tahir Shaikh in the 54th minute.
However, Mohun Bagan themselves earned a penalty which was converted by Mohammad Faizan to make it 2-2 in the 56th minute.
But Churchill did not give up and responded quickly. Mevan scored another after a well-measured cross from Aditya and then struck a sensational free-kick in the 63rd minute to surprise Mohan Bagan keeper Subha Saha and complete his hat-trick.
Mevan scored his fourth in the 70th minute while five minutes later, their opponents pulled a goal back through MD Taufique.
In the 93rd minute, Mevan put the last nail into the coffin of Mohan Bagan to give Churchill a memorable victory over their Kolkata rivals.
