I-League: Churchill Brothers’ poor record against Dempo continues despite Sunil Chhetri’s brilliance

Photo Credit: Churchill Brothers Media

Following East Bengal’s 1-1 draw at home against Sporting Clube on Sunday, Churchill Brothers needed just two wins in their last four matches to secure their second I-League crown. With East Bengal not playing their next match until May 4, Churchill Brothers had the chance to wrap up the title this week with victories over local rivals Dempo and Mohun Bagan.

But Subhash Bhowmick’s side failed in the very first of those two tests on Wednesday as they were held to a 2-2 draw by a Dempo side, who were short of form and first-choice center backs. The result not only kept East Bengal’s slim hopes alive but also continued Churchill Brothers’ poor record against Dempo in the I-League.

Churchill have managed just two wins over Dempo in 12 I-League meetings, with their last success coming in December 2011 when Dempo were without six first-team regulars who were away on Indian national team duty at the SAFF Cup. Churchill have lost half of those 12 games and drawn the other four.

Call it inferiority complex or bad luck, but Churchill have consistently struggled against Dempo in the I-League. Dempo on the other hand have enjoyed a psychological edge in this fixture over the years as they have often got the results despite not playing well, like the 2-1 win earlier this season, and there have been some stunning comebacks also from the five-time Indian champions, like the 3-3 draw in 2008-09 when Mboyo Ibomi’s hattrick saw Dempo fight back from 3-0 down.

Last season, just when it looked like Churchill Brothers were back in the title race, they were beaten 4-2 by a Ranti Martins-inspired Dempo outfit and that result proved to be decisive for Armando Colaco’s side as they went on to lift their fifth title.

Prior to Wednesday’s showdown, it looked like Churchill, for once, would get the better of their bogey team as Dempo came into this fixture on the back of five straight defeats and a seven-game winless run. To add to that, midfielder Peter Carvalho was playing in central defence alongside Selwyn Fernandes, who is not a first-team regular.

Churchill Brothers’ poor record against Dempo continued (Photo Credit: AIFF Media)

So despite Beto’s absence, Churchill were overwhelming favourites to register all three points at the newly-renovated Tilak Maidan but had to come from behind twice to earn a point. On the balance of play, Churchill probably deserved to win the game but their finishing was woeful and if not for the brilliant brace from Sunil Chhetri, the Red Machines could have suffered their fourth defeat of the season.

The signing of the Indian captain in the winter transfer window has been a masterstroke from the Churchill family as the 28-year-old has come up with crucial goals in the Goa League, AFC Cup and I-League. He scored with a super strike in the win over Pune FC two weeks ago and on Wednesday produced one of his best club performances against his former club Dempo.

Dempo got off to a great start as Ryuji Sueoka put them in front and for the first half hour Churchill looked rattled by the early goal as they couldn’t get into the game and needed goalkeeper Sandip Nandy to make a vital save at 1-0.

Churchill then slowly got into the game with Sunil causing problems to the Dempo defence with his energy and movement. The Arjuna Awardee won a freekick just outside the box on the stroke of half time and scored from it with a brilliant curling effort past Subhashish Roychowdhury.

But Dempo regained their lead from the restart through Climax Lawrence as Churchill Brothers went into the halftime break trailing.

Churchill needed an early equaliser in the second half to stand any chance of winning the game and they got it once again through the Indian skipper. Sunil scored from another freekick, this time from a bit further out, but his shot had the power and precision to take the ball past Subhashish for the second time.

The Indian captain bagged a brace (Photo Credit: Churchill Brothers Media)

For the remainder of the game, Churchill were dominant and looked likely to bag maximum points but some desperate Dempo defending and poor finishing from Henri Antchouet denied Bhowmick’s side the chance to go seven clear of second-placed East Bengal.

Churchill Brothers once again failed to deliver under pressure against Dempo and are indebted to Sunil, who is on loan from Sporting Lisbon ‘B’, for earning them a point at least. The result isn’t the worst for Churchill in the context of the title race as they are still five points ahead of East Bengal but the Goan club can’t afford to choke in the final three games if they want to win their second I-League crown.