Churchill Brothers SC started their MG Indian Super League 2026-27 campaign with a 2-1 victory over Mumbai City FC at Fatorda Stadium. The Goan side secured the win in their opening home match, with Gaurav Bora and Sebastian Gutierrez scoring in the second half. Bora opened the scoring in the 57th minute with a header. The goal marked Churchill Brothers’ first-ever strike in the ISL. Gutierrez then doubled the lead in the 86th minute to put his team in a strong position. Mumbai City fought back in stoppage time. Sergio Llamas converted a penalty in the third minute of added time to reduce the deficit. However, the Islanders could not find another goal, and Churchill Brothers held on to claim all three points.

Mumbai City Start Strong, but Churchill Brothers Hold Firm

Mumbai City FC controlled possession in the opening minutes and tried to build attacks from the back. In the ninth minute, Wilmar Jordan delivered a cross towards Brandon Fernandes. Brandon attempted a right-footed shot, but Churchill goalkeeper Sayad Kadir made the save. Churchill Brothers responded quickly. Mumbai City cleared a corner from Brandon in the 10th minute, allowing Vincy Barretto to launch a counterattack. Barretto advanced down the right and fired a shot, but the ball sailed just over the crossbar. Mumbai City earned a free kick in the 17th minute after a foul on Jordan. Brandon took the set piece, but a deflection sent the ball towards Akash Mishra, who collected it. Three minutes later, Bijay Chhetri cleared a lobbed delivery from Churchill Brothers inside the Mumbai City penalty area. The home side continued to search for an opening as the first half progressed. Churchill made their first substitution in the 32nd minute, bringing on Deny Singh for Provat Lakra. In the 37th minute, Wayde Lekay tested the Mumbai City defence with a long-range effort. Churchill continued to press before the interval, but neither team managed to score, leaving the match goalless at half-time.

Gaurav Bora Scores Churchill Brothers’ First ISL Goal

Churchill Brothers made a defensive change at the break, with Gaurav Bora replacing Alexander Yeoule. The substitution gave the team an all-Indian backline. Both sides increased their intensity after the restart. Churchill looked for opportunities to break through Mumbai City's defence, while the Islanders tried to create chances on the counterattack. Churchill made another change in the 55th minute, introducing Trijoy Dias for captain Kingslee Fernandes. The move soon paid off as the home side took the lead two minutes later. Following a short corner, Anil Gaonkar sent a cross into the penalty area. Bora met the delivery with a well-directed header and found the back of the net in the 57th minute. His goal gave Churchill Brothers a 1-0 lead and secured the club’s first-ever goal in the MG Indian Super League. Churchill nearly extended their advantage soon afterwards. Lekay curled a long-range effort towards goal, but the ball struck the crossbar and bounced away.

Sebastian Gutierrez Seals the Victory

Mumbai City made three substitutions in the 62nd minute in an attempt to change the course of the match. Farukh replaced Bijay Chhetri, Cirkovic came on for Otormin, and Zothanpuia replaced Bawitlung. However, the changes did not produce an immediate breakthrough for the Islanders. Churchill continued to protect their lead as the match entered its final stages. Mumbai City introduced Hridaya Jain for Valpuia in the 77th minute. Churchill then brought on Stendley Fernandes for Trijoy Dias in the 85th minute. The substitute made an immediate impact. A minute after entering the game, Stendley set up Sebastian Gutierrez inside the penalty area. Gutierrez finished the move in the 86th minute to make it 2-0 and put Churchill Brothers within reach of a memorable victory.

Llamas Scores Late Penalty for Mumbai City

Mumbai City earned a penalty deep into stoppage time after Angu fouled Akash Mishra inside the box. Llamas stepped up and converted the spot kick in the third minute of added time, bringing the score to 2-1. The late goal gave Mumbai City a glimmer of hope, but Churchill Brothers maintained their composure and saw out the remaining minutes. As a result, Churchill Brothers secured a 2-1 victory in their first home match of the MG ISL Season 13 campaign. Bora’s historic goal and Gutierrez’s late second-half strike proved decisive, while Mumbai City’s stoppage-time penalty came too late to change the outcome.