Willis Plaza stars for Churchill Brothers in 4-2 win over Mohun Bagan

Willis Plaza scored a brace in a six-goal thriller at the Kalyani Stadium as Mohun Bagan succumbed to a 2-4 defeat on Sunday.

Willis Deon Plaza starred in Churchill Brothers' 4-2 win over Mohun Bagan at the Kalyani Stadium on Sunday evening.

Willis Plaza’s excellent brace enabled Churchill Brothers record a convincing 4-2 win over Mohun Bagan in the I-League at the Kalyani Stadium on Sunday.

Churchill Brothers' second victory helped it leapfrog Gokulam Kerala to the top of the table on a better goal difference.

Churchill Brothers dominated from the start by scoring in the second minute. Dawda Ceesay beat a defender near the left flag to send in a precise cross and Plaza headed it home to silence the home fans.

Bagan maintained a good structure and crafted several moves only to find a solid Churchill Brothers backline, led by the efficient duo of Robert Primus Jr. and Abu Bakr.

An alert Jafar Mondal under the bar kept the goal safe from an active P.M. Britto, who dashed menacingly but found the Churchill Brothers custodian make a timely interception in the eighth minute.

Match highlights: Mohun Bagan 2-4 Churchill Brothers

Mondal was again in the thick of action when Fran Gonzalez and V.P. Suhair made dangerous attempts from Bagan’s second corner.

After Vinil Poojary missed a sitter, Ceesay jumped high to put a corner kick into the host’s post in the 28 minute.

Bagan had some relief as Gonzalez converted the resultant penalty to reduce the margin in the 33 minute.

Churchill Brothers restored the lead within four minutes with Plaza shooting a long ranger and Bagan ‘keeper Debjit Majumder fumbling.

Bagan showed urgency in the second half and created a lot chances. However, below par finishing let the Mariners down on its first home outing.

Churchill Brothers widened its lead when Israil Gurung’s floater from right was headed in by the towering Abu Bakr in the 76 minute.

Young Bagan substitute Subha Ghosh grabbed an opportunity to make it 4-2.

 

The result: Churchill Brothers 4 (Plaza 2, 37; Ceesay 28; Abu Bakr 76) bt Mohun Bagan 2 (Gonzalez 33, Subha 90).