I-League: Gokulam Kerala takes a thumping win, Namdhari edges out Churchill

Gokulam Kerala FC started their year with a massive win in an away game against Delhi FC while Namdhari edged out the table toppers Churchill Brothers with a narrow 1-goal margin on Wednesday.

Namdhari edges out the leaders Churchill Brothers

Namdhari FC shocked league leaders Churchill Brothers beating them 1-0 in the I-League 2024-25 at the Raia Ground. The loss was only Churchill Brothers’ second of the season and a blow to their chance at extending the gap at the top of the table.

While Churchill is still at the top after seven rounds with 13 points, Namdhari, who didn’t start the season too brightly, has moved to third place with 11 points from seven matches.

Churchill Substitute Maibam Deny Singh’s (45’) own goal at the stroke of half-time was the only goal of the match.

Predictably, Churchill started the game on the front foot and looked keen and able to continue the hot streak that had taken them to the top of the table. Namdhari, for their part, were focused on breaking play in midfield, which their enforcers did well to their credit for most of the first half.

Namdhari got the first chance of the game when Manvir Singh collected the ball on the left of the box, turned his marker inside out, and let fly. Goalkeeper Sayad Bin Abdul Kadir made a smart save to save Churchill’s blushes.

The hosts’ first chance of the game fell to the speedy Anil Rama Gaonkar, who drove in from the right flank, into the box, before shooting at goal from a narrow angle. Namdhari goalkeeper Jaspreet Singh’s strong parry fell into the path of Wayde Lekay. The South African took a first-time shot, but it was smartly blocked to go out of play.

Churchill ramped up their attacking forays constantly through the first half, but their inability to be effective in the final third played to their detriment. Namdhari made them pay for it right at the end of the half when Lamine Moro scored the opener.

The goal came off a Namdhari free-kick on the right. The perfectly curled cross was missed by attackers and defenders alike, falling at the feet of Moro in the six-yard area.

Despite being boxed in by two Namdhari players, the Ghanaian outmuscled his way to poke the ball which took a massive deflection off of Deny Singh, on its way into the net. Namdhari had an unlikely lead going into the break.

The pattern of play continued well into the second half, and Churchill’s inability to score continued to let them down. Namdhari continued to break play, and also at times, break the momentum of the game with tactical fouls and stoppages in play.

Churchill’s best chance came in an extended period of injury time when the ball dropped for Rama Gaonkar at the edge of the box after Namdhari had messily cleared a corner.

The winger chested it down perfectly and hit a volley, which flew just wide. Namdhari held on, through a mix of guile and street smarts to bag the three points.

Gokulam Kerala FC breaks winless streak with a thumping win

A rejuvenated Gokulam Kerala FC jump-started their 2024-25 I-League campaign post-Christmas and New Year break with a resounding 5-0 victory against Delhi FC in a vital away match at the Mahilpur Football Stadium.

The team showed a renewed hunger and zeal as they broke their five-match winless streak in spectacular fashion. The winners led 1-0 at halftime.

Adama Niane emerged as the standout performer, netting twice to lead the scoring spree, ably supported by goals from Rahul Raju, Sinisa Stanisavic, and Ignacio De Loyola Abeledo.

This emphatic win, only their second victory of the season following an initial win against Sreenidi Deccan FC, propelled Gokulam Kerala from seventh to third in the league standings. They now have 10 points from seven games, including two wins, four draws and one loss.

In contrast, Delhi FC found themselves beleaguered and ineffective, particularly in the attacking third, leaving them frustrated and stuck in seventh place with eight points.

The match, though, began with Delhi FC attempting several shots on target, all comfortably saved by Gokulam Kerala’s alert goalkeeper, Shibinraj Kunniyil.

However, as the game progressed, Gokulam Kerala found its rhythm and began to dominate. They narrowly missed taking the lead when Soosairaj’s precise cross from the left was met with a powerful header by Stanisavic. But Delhi FC’s goalkeeper Lalmuansanga pulled off a remarkable save.

The breakthrough finally came in the 41st minute when Tondomba Singh Naorem’s challenge on Niane led to a penalty. Niane initially had his spot kick saved but made no mistake with the rebound, putting Gokulam Kerala ahead.

The second half saw Delhi FC striving to equalize, but their aggressive approach left them vulnerable at the back and Gokulam Kerala happily exploited the gaps. Niane doubled his tally in the 63rd minute, rounding Lalmuansanga after a superb through ball left him one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

A defensive mistake by Delhi defender Danilo Augusto Azevedo then allowed Raju to slot home the third goal in the 81st minute.

Gokulam Kerala continued to press, and their efforts were further rewarded when Abelado’s cross was cleverly diverted by Sergio Llamas Pardo to an unmarked Stanisavic, who tapped in the fourth goal in the 89th minute.

The rout was completed in injury time when Pardo set up Abeledo for a powerful left-footed strike, sealing a dominant 5-0 win for Gokulam Kerala.