Plaza’s hat-trick hand Churchill first win in 12th I-league

VASCO DA GAMA (GOA): Willis Plaza slammed a hattrick to help local favourite Churchill Brothers FC beat Shillong Lajong 4-2 and register their first win of the 12th Hero I-league here on Thursday.

Playing their first home game of the season, Plaza struck in the 18th, 51st and 54th minutes to take Goan giants to the third spot in the

league standings. Captain Dawda Cessay scored the other for Churchill (38th minute), while Lajong’s goal came from the boots of captain Samuel Lalmuanpuia (30th) and Samuel Lyngdoh (48th). Churchill’s Romanian coach Petre Gigiu opted to make three changes to the starting XI from the one which played in the previous game against Real Kashmir FC, one of them forced.

First choice keeper James Kithan, who had been sent off against Kashmir, was replaced by Vicky Baskaran. Besides, midfielder Aniston Fernandes started his first game for Churchill this season while Jovel Martins also got another start. For Shillong, Naorem Mahesh Singh, the man who had that wonderful double strike in their league opener,

lost his place after some uninspiring displays. Sheen Stevenson was rewarded with a start by coach Alison, presumably for his role in the goal against Gokulam in the previous encounter.

In defense Kynsaillang Khongsit came in place of Kenstar Kharsong and they had a change in goal as well, with Phurba Lachempa replacing Neithovilie Chalieu.

The home team dominated the proceedings throughout with 24 shots on goal against 10 for their opponents. Only eight of them were on target though.

From the first half itself, their foreign strike force of Trinidadian Plaza and Gambian Cessay seemed to be in the mood in particular. To give an idea of Churchill’s domination in the first half, they got eight corners against Lajong’s one in the first 45 minutes. Along with the two foreigners, Israel Gurung also had a wonderful game on the left flank for the home side. However, it was their Serbian defender Nenand Novakovic who got the first chance of the game as early as the fourth minute, when he missed a header from their first corner. It was a free-flowing game with Plaza and Israil Gurung guilty of misses for Churchill while Lalmuanpuia and Buam also had attempts on goal for Shillong.