I-League: Gokulam Kerala's unbeaten run ends with defeat to Churchill Brothers

Churchill Brothers took away Gokulam Kerala’s unbeaten record in I-League 2024-25, while newbies SC Bengaluru defeated Dempo Sports Club 3-1 to secure their first-ever win in the I-League on Saturday's double header.

A 13th minute Stendly Fernandes goal for Churchill Brothers was enough for them to take all three points away from Gokulam Kerala, whose unbeaten run is at an end.

A probing cross from the right by Lamgoulen Hangshing and a botched clearance dropped the ball into the path of an onrushing Stendly Fernandes at the top of the box.

The midfielder still had a lot to do. He hit it the first time, and the ball flew off his boot into the roof of the net. Shibinraj Kunniyil, Gokulam Kerala's goalkeeper, had no chance.

Gokulam stepped on the gas in the second half, their movement and passing picking up pace and on occasion catching out the Churchill defence.

They lacked the clinical edge though and every chance was either blasted high or wide.

They had to resort to the spectacular, like a bicycle kick in the 75th minute by Senthamil S that went wide of the target.

Churchill sensed Gokulam’s desperation and were lively on the counter in the dying minutes of the game, constantly holding up play and controlling the midfield smartly.

Their tactics were crucial and enough as they took the valuable three points.

SC Bengaluru secured first-ever I-League win

SC Bengaluru defeated Dempo SC 3-1 and recorded its first-ever I-League victory, thanks to goals from Krishananda Singh, Salam Johnson Singh, and Jordan Lamela.

Dempo came into the match on the back of an unblemished record with three clean sheets and were yet to taste defeat with two wins and a draw.

However, SC Bengaluru shattered Dempo’s defensive solidity early on, with a blunder by Dempo’s backline during a corner taken by Jordan Lamela.

The defense failed to clear the ball cleanly. An unmarked Krishananda Singh was lurking nearby to effortlessly tap in from close range.

Although Dempo aimed to respond quickly to the early setback, their efforts were marred by misplaced passes and a lack of cohesive play.

In contrast, SC Bengaluru displayed superior coordination, frequently threatening through set-pieces.

Dempo got their first chance to score an equalizer midway in the first half when Cristian Damian Perez floated in a free kick over SC Bengaluru defenders to find Saiesh Bagkar, who headed it wide.

Bagkar redeemed himself in the 43rd minute when he scored the equalizer.

Perez once again swung in a well-directed corner from the right and Bagkar balanced himself well inside the box to hit a thundering shot and draw the match level at half-time.

The second half saw both teams adopting a more cautious approach. This meant that chances were created few and far between.

But in the 86th minute, Shafeel charged down the right flank before floating in a cross, and Sibi, despite making several key saves earlier, misjudged the flight of the ball this time.

The cross sailed over him to Salam Johnson Singh, who was perfectly positioned at the far post. Unchallenged, Johnson effortlessly slotted the ball home.

SC Bengaluru sealed the match in the 95th minute through Lamela with a powerful left-footed shot that nestled into the back of the net to spark jubilant celebrations in the home team camp.