TEAM HERALD
MAPUSA: Churchill Bros rallied to get the better of Tuff Laxmi Prasad Sports Club 3-2 in a round eight match of Airtel Goa Pro League football, at Duler Stadium, here, Thursday. Laxmi Prasad led 1-0 at the breather.
Laxmi Prasad took an unlikely lead in the 20th minute trough Steven Fernandes but Churchill bounced back in the second session and equalized in the 57th minute through Richard Costa and soon scored their second through Jaison Vales. However, with ten minutes to go for the final whistle Alvito Miranda restored parity but Churchill were undone and scored the match-winner in the 86th minute when Portugese Hugo Machado’s beautiful free-kick crashed into the rival nylons.
Hugo’s two assists and a goal was the highlight of the evening which keeps Churchill at the top of the standings with 20 points. Laxmi Prasad are in the fifth place with 11 points.
Laxmi Prasad made their ambitions clear early on after Steven’s rasping 30-yarder went inches wide.
The Red Machines were alarmed and tried to get into their rhythm. Striker Bineesh Balan made a solo run into the danger zone by dribbling a couple of rival players but his effort missed the mark narrowly.
Subsequently, Hugo made his presence felt by sending a defence splitting pass to Bineesh which caught the rival defence off-balance however, Bineesh could not connect neatly with only Laxmi Prasad goalkeeper Reagan Juliao at his mercy.
However, Laxmi Prasad took an unlikely lead in the 20th minute when Alvito Miranda’s low cross was toed in by onrushing Steven, much to the delight of their supporters.
The Mapusa-based side could have doubled their advantage at the half hour mark as Steven was brought down by Churchill’s Micky Fernandes at the edge of the box. Referee Seby Moraes awarded Laxmi Prasad a free-kick and cautioned Micky.
Off the resultant set piece, Freiman Peixoto’s well-measured free-kick was powerfully headed by Alvito Miranda but goalkeeper Lalit Thapa was up to the challenge.
Before the lemon break, Hugo’s free-kick was blocked by goalkeeper Reagan and the ball fell back to Jason, whose volley hit the upright.
Post resumption, Churchill tried hard and equalized in the 57th minute through Richard Costa, who nodded in a dangerous flag-kick from Hugo.
Minutes later, Hugo was involved again as he intelligently headed in the path of Jaison, who muscled past Laxmi Prasad’s central defender Remus Gomes and finished with a neat placement.
With ten minute to go for the final whistle, Laxmi Prasad restored parity as Alvito hammered in off a Steven cross.
It looked like the match would settle for a draw but Churchill had other plans. Bineesh was a thorn in the rival territory as he earned his team a crucial free-kick after going down to a challenge from Remus.
Hugo stepped up and beautifully curled past the six-man wall as the ball found the top corner of the net giving no chance to the diving rival custodian.
