Team Herald
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AIZAWL: Colombia’s Luis Rodríguez emerged as a hero on his I-League debut as his injury-time strike helped a beleaguered Aizawl FC salvage a 1-1 draw against leaders Churchill Brothers at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, here, on Monday.
Remarkably, it was Aizawl’s only shot on target throughout the match.
Churchill Brothers, who were left to lick their wounds after missing a host of opportunities, had taken the lead at the hour mark when South African Wayde Lekay converted a penalty to score his 10th goal of the tournament. Churchill Brothers were reduced to 10-man when Colombian defender José Luis Moreno was sent off in the 74th minute.
The draw leaves Churchill Brothers ruing what could have been a clear path to consolidating their lead at the top of the table. Instead, they now face increased pressure from their rivals after settling for a draw against an opponent who are 11th in the points table. Churchill Brothers have 28 points from 15 matches with eight wins, four draws and three losses.
For Aizawl, the dramatic finish should provide a lot of confidence, especially when they lost 0-6 in their away fixture to Churchill Brothers last month. The Reds have 11 points from 15 matches.
Churchill Brothers approached the match with a blend of confidence and strategic caution.
From the outset, they focused on building their gameplay by setting the tempo of the match. Despite this controlled start, the Red Machines struggled to convert their dominance into tangible threats against a robust Aizawl defence.
RESULT
Aizawl FC 1 (Luis Rodríguez, 90+6) Churchill Brothers 1 (Wayde Lekay, 60 p)