Sporting to clash with Churchill Brothers in I League tomorrow

Margao, Oct 18 (UNI) Buoyed by their winning spree in the last three outings, Sporting Club de Goa are looking for yet another win, this time against star studded Durand Cup runners up Churchill Brothers in the ONGC I League championship match to be played here at Nehru stadium tomorrow.

Table toppers Sporting club with nine points had slammed six goals in three matches beating Vasco 1-0, Mohammedan Sporting 3-0 and Mohan Bagan 2-0 and had not conceded a single goal to become a well-knit team on paper and performance.

Churchill Brothers with four points from two outings with a 2-1 win against Mahindra united and a goaless draw against Chirag United also remained unbeaten.

Both teams seem to be equally matched in the midfield and attack and both need a win to maintain their unbeaten run. It will be a close contest tomorrow.

Sporting coach Vishwas Gaonkar, riding high on confidence of his teams performance was happy with his team but also had great respect for rival Churchill Brothers. He said, ''Nigerian Striker Odafe Okolie is a dangerous player on whom Churchill heavily depend to find the target. Both the goals for Churchill against Mahindra in the earlier match were scored by Odafe. We will try our best to put it across to them to maintain our position at the top.'' Goankar also said defenders Sumenanad Singh and Remus Gomes, who were injured during the last match against Mohan Bagan will be a doubtful starter tomorrow.

Sporting's Nigerian duo of Junior Eligah and Nathaniol Amos have shown dash in the attack in the earlier outings and both figured in the goal scoring list. The other forward will be Joychandra Singh. Their mid field is in the safe hands of Wilton Gomes, Micky Fernandes, Joseph Pereira and Harmanjot Khabra.

The defence too has done creditably well so far but the real test will be tomorrow when they face the likes of Odafe Okolie and Felix Chimao Kwa and if they are able to contain the duo, more than half the battle will be won by sporting whose scoring ability lie on Junior Eligah, Nathaniol Amos, Wilton Gomes and Micky Fernandes.

Churchill manager Denzil Ferrao said his team is fully fit without any injury and the same that played in the last two outings will continue. ''Our main aim tomorrow is to snatch points as we have to increased our points tally. Sporting are a very good side and really playing good football. They have beaten strong teams like Mohan Bagan and also Mohammadan Sporting in the earlier ties,'' he said.

Churchill too are a much balanced side with an enterprising attack of Odafe and Felix, backed by the scheming trio of Kalu Ogba, Genius Zenith and Chitrasen Chinta in the middle. They also have a depedable defence comprising L Robert, Naoba Singh, Govin Singh and Gouranmangi Singh and above all goalkeeper Arindan Bhattacharya.

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