How Churchill Brothers raced against time to stun two-time ISL champions Mumbai City

Churchill Brothers had barely found their feet in the Indian Super League before they were asked to take over one of its established names.

Three and a half weeks. That was roughly the amount of time the Goan club had to prepare for their return to the top tier of Indian football. Their preparations were rushed, their team was still coming together, and some of their foreign recruits had arrived just days before the start of the season.

On Sunday night, they faced two-time ISL champions Mumbai City FC with a much more balanced line-up. At the end of the night, Churchill beat them 2-1 at Fatorda, with Gaurav Bora and Sebastian Gutierrez scoring goals to mark their first appearance in the competition.

There was no guarantee that the work crammed into those few weeks would be enough against Mumbai City’s experience and they predictably dominated much of the first half and created the better openings. Churchill had to stay patient, stay in shape and wait for opportunities to come their way. They did just that after the break.

FROM TAKEOVER TO TEAM LIST IN WEEKS

Churchill’s journey to the ISL was far from straightforward. In August, the Goan club acquired the operating company Jamshedpur FC from Tata Steel for a token Rs 100 crore, taking over the contracts of 12 players and two coaches. This allowed Churchill a path to the competition, but there was still a squad to prepare for the season ahead.

The transfer meant Churchill wasn’t starting completely from scratch. Even so, the build-up to their maiden ISL campaign has been a race against time. Some of their foreign recruits arrived late, while others were still waiting for visas. With the opening match approaching, the club had to get its players together and prepare them for the competition.

Coach Dimitris Dimitriou knew how much ground his team had to cover. Over the course of nearly four weeks, Churchill completed around 37 to 38 training sessions before taking on Mumbai City, a club far more used to the demands of the ISL. Churchill Brothers defied rushed preparations to secure a great opening result. (Photo: ISL)

These training sessions had to include the usual pre-season work, from conditioning and tactical preparation to getting the players used to each other. But Churchill couldn’t afford the luxury of a long build-up like they had in the season against similarly experienced opponents.

Their first test would come against a team coached by Manolo Marquez, who previously worked with FC Goa and was even the head coach of the Indian national team, meaning he knew Indian football inside out.

The first half in Fatorda showed why this task will never be easy. Mumbai had more of the ball, created more chances and looked more composed. Churchill, meanwhile, was still finding his feet. But they went into the break with the scores level, and that was important.

WHAT CHURCHILL’S FIRST ISL MATCH LOOKED LIKE

Dimitriou made a change at half-time, bringing on Gaurav Bora for Alexander Yeoul, leaving Churchill with an all-India backline. The substitution would soon have an impact at the other end.

In the 57th minute, Anil Gaonkar took a short corner and Bora headed home. It was Churchill Brothers’ first ever ISL goal to give the club the lead after a first half in which Mumbai looked more comfortable.

Churchill almost doubled their advantage soon after when Wayde Lekay hit the crossbar from distance. Mumbai responded with a triple substitution but the home side found their way into the match. They created chances rather than spending the game dealing with Mumbai’s attacks.

Football has always made room for the unexplainable. For the last-minute gods, for hope against reason, and for the small, private rituals that make it all meaningful. As #CBSC celebrated its first ever #MGISL win, there was a moment that needed no comment. #MGISL13 MG Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) October 11, 2026

Dimitriou said his side wanted to understand how Mumbai approached the game before making adjustments.

“We wanted to see how the opponent played,” he said. “But later on, when we wanted to play our game and with some changes we made tactically, we won the game.

The second goal came in the 86th minute. Stendley Fernandes, who came on for Trijoy Dias, combined with Sebastian Gutierrez and the Colombian finished from inside the box to make it 2-0. Churchill’s two substitutes helped shape the result, while Bora’s introduction also provided the breakthrough.

“It’s for the badge, it’s for the people!” Gaurav Bora dedicates his goal and victory to the Churchill Brothers faithful! #MGISL13 #CBSCMCFC #WeAreOpen MG Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) October 11, 2026

Mumbai upset the finish by winning a penalty deep in stoppage time after Angu was fouled by Akash Mishra. Sergio Llamas converted but Churchill held on to win 2-1.

“I am very happy because the boys deserved this victory,” said Dimitriou.

THE WORK MUST NOW GO ON

The first obstacle is out of the way. They have made it to the ISL and more importantly, they have three points to show for their debut.

Of course, one night can’t tell us how Churchill will do over the course of the season. The real test is yet to come when equipment starts to pile up and the demands of the competition leave less room for recovery and adaptation.

Next up are defending champions East Bengal FC in Fatorda on Sunday, October 18. It’s another tough task and an opportunity to see how quickly Churchill finds his feet in an unfamiliar environment.

For now, the side can return to the training ground with three points in the bag and a win to build on, and that’s a much better place to start than a defeat that would leave them searching for answers.

– The end