Namdhari FC 1 (Cledson Carvalho Dasilva 68′ p)
drew with
Churchill Brothers 1 (Pape Gassama 27′)
AIFF Media Team
SRI BHAINI SAHIB: A three-pointer continued to elude leaders Churchill Brothers for the third time in a row as they played out a 1-1 draw with Namdhari FC in the 2024-25 I-League at the Namdhari Stadium on Monday, February 24, 2025.
In a highly-anticipated match that didn’t quite spark as expected, Pape Gassama gave Churchill Brothers the lead in the 27th minute before Cledson Carvalho Dasilva scored the equaliser from the penalty spot in the second half. With both teams in desperate need of points to fuel their title ambitions, it was Sayad Kadir’s heroics under the bar for Churchill that thwarted a second-half siege by Namdhari.
Both teams have been experiencing a dip in form recently, with Churchill now having drawn three consecutive matches – all of them from winning positions – while Namdhari extended their winless streak to four games. It was a missed opportunity for Churchill Brothers to consolidate their lead at the top. The Red Machines still lead the table with 29 points from 16 matches with eight wins, five draws and three losses. Namdhari have slipped to fifth place with 23 points from 16 games.
The match kicked off with Churchill asserting dominance, commanding possession and pressing Namdhari into defensive disarray. Yet, despite their control, Churchill managed only a single goal in the first half. Gassama’s strike gave them a momentary edge, but Namdhari’s defence, anchored by the composed Ghanaian Lamine Moro, kept further threats at bay, neutralising top scorers like Wayde Lekay and Sebastian Gutiérrez.
Namdhari, largely passive in the first half, transformed after the break, increasing the tempo and pinning Churchill back into their own half. The pressure mounted until the 68th minute when a shot from Francis Addo struck Churchill defender Lalbiakhlua’s outstretched arm in the penalty box. Cledson stepped up to the spot and made no mistake, drilling the ball home to level the scores and notch his tenth goal of the season.
The momentum firmly shifted towards Namdhari as they continued to push for a winner. Kadir, however, stood firm, producing crucial saves from Bhupinder Singh’s cross and Dharmpreet Singh’s header. His finest moments came late in the game, denying Cledson a second goal and subsequently thwarting Akashdeep Singh’s attempt from a corner.
Churchill Brothers had chances to snatch a late victory, with Stendly Fernandes and Trijoy Dias forcing Namdhari goalkeeper Jaspreet Singh into action in the closing moments. Despite these efforts, the game concluded at 1-1.
