Aizawl (Mizoram) [India], February 18 (ANI): Colombia's Luis Rodriguez emerged as a hero on his I-League debut as his injury-time strike helped a beleaguered Aizawl FC salvage a 1-1 draw against leaders Churchill Brothers at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, on Monday, February 17, 2025. Remarkably, it was Aizawl's only shot on target throughout the match, as per the AIFF Media Team.

Churchill Brothers, who were left to lick their wounds after missing a host of opportunities, had taken the lead at the hour mark when South African Wayde Lekay converted a penalty to score his 10th goal of the tournament. Churchill were reduced to 10 men when Colombian defender Jose Luis Moreno was sent off in the 74th minute.

The draw leaves Churchill Brothers ruing what could have been a clear path to consolidating their lead at the top of the table. Instead, they now face increased pressure from their rivals after settling for a draw against an opponent who are 11th in the points table. Churchill Brothers have 28 points from 15 matches with eight wins, four draws and three losses.

For Aizawl, the dramatic finish should provide a lot of confidence, especially when they lost 0-6 in their away fixture to Churchill Brothers last month. The Reds have 11 points from 15 matches.

Churchill Brothers approached the match with a blend of confidence and strategic caution. From the outset, they focused on building their gameplay by setting the tempo of the match. Despite this controlled start, the Red Machines struggled to convert their dominance into tangible threats against a robust Aizawl defence.

As the match progressed, the visitors realised the need for a tactical shift to inject more dynamism into their play and opted to increase the pace of their attacks. This change in strategy stretched the Aizawl backline and began to bear fruit around the 40th minute when midfielder Kingslee Fernandes initiated a promising attack. He quickly threaded a pass to Sebastian Gutierrez, who then deftly played the ball forward to Rafiq Aminu. The Ghanaian forward, known for his agility, darted past his marker to latch onto the pass before attempting a clever finish through the legs of Aizawl goalkeeper Rafique Ali Sardar. However, Sardar reacted swiftly to clamp his legs shut to thwart the attempt with a crucial save.

The momentum built by Churchill Brothers continued, and they nearly broke the deadlock just two minutes later. Lalliansanga Renthlei unleashed a powerful drive from distance that Sardar impressively tipped onto the woodwork, denying Churchill once again.

Aizawl FC, on the other hand, almost capitalised on a rare Churchill error right before the halftime whistle. A misdirected clearance by Churchill goalkeeper Sayad Bin Abdul Kadir ricocheted dangerously close to Malsawmzuala Tlangte, who was in a prime position to score. However, his unintended touch sent the ball whisking past the post.

Regrouping after the interval, Aizawl looked to assert more control and shift the dynamics in their favour. Their efforts to take the upper hand, however, were undone by a lapse in judgment from their defender Zothanpuia. His unnecessary challenge inside the penalty area on Aminu led the referee to award Churchill Brothers a penalty. Lekay stepped up to send the goalkeeper the wrong way and slotted home to give Churchill Brothers the lead in the 60th minute.

The goal visibly deflated the Aizawl FC team and momentarily dampened their spirits. However, the dynamic of the match tilted slightly in favour of the hosts in the 74th minute when Churchill Brothers defender Jose Luis Moreno Pena received his second yellow card of the match and was sent off.

This handed Aizawl FC a numerical advantage and they made the most of it in the stoppage time. A goalmouth scramble saw the ball landing kindly at Rodriguez's feet and the Colombian cleverly hit a grounder to score and salvage a point for his side.

Churchill tried their best to find the target through Aminu and Gutierrez but Aizawl goalkeeper and defence held firm. (ANI)