AGENCIES, KOLKATA: Churchill Brothers need more than a victory in their hunt for their third Hero I-League title when they face RoundGlass Punjab in the final matchday of the tournament. The game kicks-off at 5:00 PM IST at the VYBK stadium, West Bengal, on Saturday and will be streamed live on the Hero I-League Facebook Page.
The race for the Hero I-League will come to an intense finish as three teams- Gokulam Kerala, Churchill Brothers, and TRAU are still battling for the title after 14 rounds of fixtures. All three sides have 26 points and are only differentiated by their head-to-head results. At one point of the season, it seemed like Churchill Brothers were running away with the title. However, inconsistent performances in the championship stage have pegged them back, and now the Red Machines not only need a victory but are dependent on Gokulam – TRAU result to win the title. While all three teams sit equal on points, they trail Gokulam head to head (3-2 win, 3-0 loss vs GKFC) and TRAU on overall goal difference.
So, the most realistic equation for Churchill lifting the trophy is to beat Punjab while praying the other game in Kolkata between Gokulam and TRAU ends in a tie. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, head coach Fernando Varela said, “We are conscious of what we need to do to win the I-League. Our goal is to beat Punjab. In the meanwhile, we will hope for a draw in the other fixture.”
“Against TRAU, I think we did everything possible to win. We came back stronger from the previous defeat. It was one of the best games we played. We showed great spirit, created many chances to score but unfortunately, we could not win.”
“Regardless of what happens tomorrow, I believe it is a good season. For me, we are the best team in the league. We have played well, grown together as a team, played attacking football. The players are amazing, and I am really proud of the team. We have shown the fans, the players and everyone else that we are a great team”
