Searching for their first win of the season, two-time winners Churchill Brothers will take on Mohammedan Sporting in the I-League at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco da Gama on Tuesday (November 6, 2022).
Churchill Brothers have had a disappointing start to the season, scoring just two points from their five matches. In their previous outing against Aizawl FC, they were held to a 1-1 draw after leading for most of the game. The Red Machines will look to turn their season around against Mohammedan, who lost in a seven-goal encounter against Sreenidi Deccan after a run of two wins against TRAU and NEROCA. The Black and White Brigade currently stand sixth on the table with six points.
These sides met twice last season, winning one game each. Skipper Marcus Joseph, who scored in Mohammedan's 3-1 win against NEROCA, has scored thrice in this fixture. The Kolkata club will be looking up to the Trinidadian to repeat his heroics tomorrow.
Talking to the media at the pre-match press conference, Churchill Brothers assistant coach Mateus Costa said, "Mohammedan are a very strong opponent. We have not done well in our last matches but are working hard on the training ground and hopefully, we will see the results tomorrow."
On being asked about the club's expectations and goals for tomorrow's game, Costa made it clear that Churchill Brothers are in for the three points. "In football, wins and losses are a part of the game. Every team focuses on going out for the three points and we're no exceptions," he said. Costa further talked about the team's defensive woes. "If we look at our last few matches, we have conceded silly goals. We are working on it and I expect our defence to get better in the next matches."
The local lad Quan Gomes, who has been an integral part of the Churchill midfield said, "Mohammedan have really good players in the squad. It will be a good match tomorrow and we are hoping for three points."
Mohammedan Sporting have lost all of their away matches this season. "We haven't gotten any points in our away matches. We have been looking for areas to improve and are working on them. We have confidence and we are prepared for tomorrow. It's going to be a crucial game for both teams." Mohammedan Sporting assistant coach Joseph Naik said.
Naik further elucidated the importance of a positive result. "The three points tomorrow are very crucial. It will boost our confidence and after tomorrow, we have two home games, so we want to carry good momentum forward," he said.
Versatile defender Wayne Vaz, who was part of the 2018-19 Churchill Brothers team which finished fourth in the league, talked about the result against Sreenidi, "In our last match, we played well but there were moments where we lacked concentration and it lost us the game." The defender further talked about the unity of the squad. "I think at the moment, the team is together more than ever. It will be a tough outing against Churchill tomorrow but we will be going all out for the win," he said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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