Churchill Brothers raced against time to prepare for ISL, then beat Mumbai City

Churchill Brothers had barely found their feet in the Indian Super League before they were asked to take on one of its established names.Three and a half weeks. That was roughly how much time the Goan club had to prepare for its return to the top tier of Indian football. Their preparations were rushed, their squad was still coming together and some of their foreign recruits had arrived only days before the season began.On Sunday evening, they faced Mumbai City FC, a two-time ISL champion, with a far more settled set-up. By the end of the night, Churchill had beaten them 2-1 at Fatorda, with Gaurav Bora and Sebastian Gutierrez scoring the goals that made their first appearance in the competition one to remember.There was no guarantee that the work squeezed into those few weeks would be enough against Mumbai City’s experience and they predictably controlled much of the first half and created the better openings. Churchill had to stay patient, keep their shape and wait for opportunities to come their way. They did exactly that after the break. FROM TAKEOVER TO TEAM SHEET IN WEEKSChurchill’s route into the ISL was far from straightforward. In August, the Goan club acquired Jamshedpur FC’s operating company from Tata Steel for a token Rs 100, taking over the contracts of 12 players and two coaches. That gave Churchill a way into the competition, but there was still a team to prepare for the season ahead.The transfer meant Churchill were not starting entirely from scratch. Even so, getting ready for their first ISL campaign was a race against time. Some of their foreign recruits arrived late, while others were still awaiting visas. With the opening fixture approaching, the club had to bring its players together and get them ready to compete. Coach Dimitris Dimitriou knew just how much ground his side had to cover. In close to four weeks, Churchill squeezed in around 37 to 38 training sessions before taking on Mumbai City, a club far more accustomed to the demands of the ISL. Churchill Brothers defied rushed preparations to ensure a brilliant opening result. (Photo: ISL) Those sessions had to cover the usual work of a pre-season, from fitness and tactical preparation to getting players accustomed to one another. But Churchill could not afford the luxury of a long build-up like they were easing into the season against an opponent of similar experience.Their first examination would come against a side coached by Manolo Marquez, who had previously worked with FC Goa and was even the Indian national team head coach, which means he knew Indian football inside out.The first half at Fatorda showed why the task was never going to be easy. Mumbai had more of the ball, created the better chances and looked the more settled side. Churchill, meanwhile, were still finding their feet. But they went into the break with the scores level, and that mattered.WHAT CHURCHILL'S FIRST ISL MATCH LOOKED LIKEDimitriou made a change at half-time, bringing on Gaurav Bora for Alexandre Yeoule and leaving Churchill with an all-Indian backline. The substitution would soon have an impact at the other end.In the 57th minute, Anil Gaonkar delivered a cross after a short corner, and Bora headed it home. It was Churchill Brothers’ first-ever ISL goal, giving the club a lead after a first half in which Mumbai had looked the more comfortable side.Churchill nearly doubled their advantage soon after, when Wayde Lekay’s long-range effort struck the crossbar. Mumbai responded with a triple substitution, but the hosts had found a way into the contest. They were creating chances of their own rather than spending the game dealing with Mumbai’s attacks.Football has always made room for the inexplicable. For the Gods of the last minute, for hope against reason, and for the small, private rituals that make sense of it all. As #CBSC celebrated their first-ever #MGISL win, there was a moment that needed no commentary. #MGISL13 https://t.co/tTYyJMbqgG— MG Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) October 11, 2026Dimitriou said his side had wanted to understand how Mumbai approached the game before making adjustments.“We wanted to see how the opponent plays,” he said. “But later, when we wanted to play our game, and with some changes that we made tactically, we won the game.”The second goal arrived in the 86th minute. Stendley Fernandes, who had come on for Trijoy Dias, combined with Sebastian Gutierrez, and the Colombian finished from inside the box to make it 2-0. Two of Churchill’s substitutes had helped shape the result, while Bora’s introduction had also produced the breakthrough."It's for the badge, it's for the people!" Gaurav Bora dedicates his goal and the win to the Churchill Brothers faithful! #MGISL13 #CBSCMCFC #WeAreOpen https://t.co/fSimTF9Nbb— MG Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) October 11, 2026Mumbai made the finish uncomfortable by winning a penalty deep into stoppage time after Angu fouled Akash Mishra. Sergio Llamas converted, but Churchill held on for a 2-1 win.“I am very happy because the boys deserved this win,” Dimitriou said.THE WORK NOW HAS TO CONTINUEThe first hurdle is out of the way. They have made it to the ISL and, more importantly, have three points to show for their debut.Of course, one evening cannot tell us how Churchill will fare over an entire season. The real test lies ahead, when fixtures begin to pile up and the demands of the competition leave less room for recovery and adjustment.Next up are defending champions East Bengal FC at Fatorda on Sunday, October 18. It is another tough assignment, and an opportunity to see how quickly Churchill are finding their feet in unfamiliar surroundings.For now, the side can return to the training ground with three points in the bag and a win to build on, and that is a far better place to start than a defeat that would have left them searching for answers.- Ends