Team Herald
NAVELIM: L Solomon K scored a fine brace to help Corps of Signals score a stunning 2-1 win over I-League club Churchill Brothers SC in the Goa Football Association Goa Professional League match played at 3MTR ground, Navelim, on Friday.
Clencio Pinto managed to score for Churchill Brothers. Signals ended their season campaign on a high following their back to back wins in the last two games which helped them to move to 22 from equal outings Signals also registered their biggest upset of the season which mayhave also ended Varca-based team’s dreams of the Goa Pro League title.
The defeat handed a blow to the Red Machines pursuit to their Goa league title as they now remain on third place with 39 points from 18 games.
Playing at their fortress, Signals began the game keeping more of the ball and playing it across the field. Churchill Brothers, who started with Uttam Rai upfront along with Nicolao struggled in the initial stages of the game to find the perfect rhythm.
There was hardly any action in the first half and the Red Machines coach was compelled to get in Anthony Wolfe in place of Cyrus in the first half. With both the sides nearly missing some good chances, the scores remained 0-0 at the break.
However, Solomon gave the lead for Signals in the 46th minute with a curling left footer in the far left corner of the goal giving no chance for the rival keeper.
After much pressing, Churchill Bros just couldn’t find the breakthrough and at the other end, Solomon scored his second when he was played a perfect through ball from the centre which beat the Churchill Brothers defence and the lad rounded off the keeper to take the game beyond the Red Machines.
Second half substitute Clencio Pinto made his presence felt on the pitch as the hard working player latched on to a loose ball in the box and smashed the ball in the top left corner as the keeper couldn’t do much to it, 1-2. However, with the goal coming in the 84th minute, it looked like Churchill Brothers could find the equalising goal but Corps of Signals defended resolutely till the end.
