Plaza's Hat-trick Hand Churchill First Win in 12th I-League

Vasco da Gama (Goa), Nov 15 (PTI) Willis Plaza slammed a hat-trick to help local favourite Churchill Brothers FC beat Shillong Lajong 4-2 and register their first win of the 12th Hero I-League here 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 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.

Finally in the 18th minute, Plaza, after missing an easy volley five minutes earlier, struck his first goal to give Churchill the lead.

After Plaza muffed up one and created another chance which Hangshing missed, Lajong captain Lalmuanpuia equalised for the visitors in the 30th minute.

Hussein Eldor almost put Churchill ahead again two minutes later, as his tap in from an Israil Gurung free-kick brought about a reflex save from Lachempa.

Churchill did go ahead again thanks to a stunning strike by Ceesay.

Lajong set the tone for the second half with a wonderful team goal in the 48th minute to get back on level terms.

It was Sheen who started the move from the right flank. He held on long enough for Khongsit to come up with an awe-inspiring overlap from deep defense. Sheen laid it onto Khongsit who burst in to cut back for Samuel Lyngdoh, who beat Vicky with his placement for a beautifully constructed goal.

However, Churchill restored their lead immediately when Israil Gurung's free kick from the left was met high inside the box by Plaza and his headed touch found the back of the net.

Plaza then got his hat-trick, the second of the season, when he went on a solo run on the break and calmly finished with a low angled grounder to seal the match in Churchill's favour.

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