I-League 2017-18: Debutant Onyeama Frincis' injury time equaliser helps Churchill Brothers hold Gokulam Kerala FC 1-1

Vasco: Debutant Onyeama Frincis’ stoppage time goal helped Churchill Brothers hold Gokulam Kerala FC to a 1-1 draw in their I-League match.

After a barren first half, Gokulam scored through Henry Kisekka in the 72nd minute. But Churchill, who failed to trouble the rival defence for most part of the match, restored parity in the stoppage time through Frincis (90+3).

The draw kept Churchill above the relegation zone as they now have 17 points from 16 matches and moved to eight place above Chennai City. Gokulam Kerala take their tally to 20 points from 16 matches.

In-form Gokulam Kerala looked the better of the two sides in the first half as they controlled the midfield and posed a constant threat to the home side.

Churchill lacked urgency in their attack and received a set back midway in the first half when their captain Osagie Monday got injured and was replaced by Pawan Kumar.

But their defence did well to deny Henry Kisekka who posed a constant threat whenever he received the ball inside the box.

After suffering three successive defeats, Churchill replaced two foreigner strikers, bringing in Onyeama Frincis Okechukwu and Jeancy Zunapio Siyo in place of Kalu Ogba and Mechac Koffi to change their fortunes but they failed to creat impact upfront. The only time they came close to scoring was in the 10th minute when Frincis sent a low cross into the box but Jeancy Zunapiao Siyo was late to connect it.

Gokulam continued to dominate after the break also as they made inroads with steady flow of passes. Churchill committed a lot of mispasses that helped the visitors in their attacks. Arjun Jayaraj nearly succeeded in finding the net in the 58th minute when he tried to chip the ball over the onrushing keeper Bilal Khan. Eventually, the ball hit the keeper’s face and rebounded into play.

Henry Kisekka finally broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute when he ran down to the left channel, dodged past a couple of rival defenders and found the net with a deft placement.

Arjun Jayaraj could have increased the lead few minutes later when his header hit the cross bar off a cross from the right by Thaivalappil Irshad.

Churchill, who made an all-out effort in the dying minutes, managed to restore parity in the stoppage time when debutant Onyeama Frincis made a solo run inside the box before slotting the ball into the net.