Wayde Lekay nets once from the spot in Churchill Brothers’ 1-1 draw
Mizoram: Churchill Brothers were left frustrated at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium on Monday after a dramatic stoppage-time goal from Luis Rodríguez saw Aizawl FC snatch a 1-1 draw in the I-League. The Red Machines had looked poised for a hard-earned victory, but the Colombian’s last-gasp strike meant they had to settle for a single point, dealing a blow to their title aspirations.
The league leaders appeared in control for most of the game and broke the deadlock in the 60th minute when South African forward Wayde Lekay calmly slotted home a penalty—his 10th goal of the season—after a clumsy challenge from Aizawl’s Zothanpuia. Churchill had been knocking on the door long before that, with Rafiq Aminu and Lalliansanga Renthlei coming agonizingly close in the first half, only to be denied by Aizawl goalkeeper Rafique Ali Sardar.
Momentum seemed firmly in Churchill’s favor until the 74th minute when Colombian defender José Luis Moreno received his marching orders after a second yellow card, reducing the visitors to 10 men. That shift gave Aizawl the lifeline they needed, and they capitalized deep into injury time. A goalmouth scramble ended with Rodríguez finding space to drill a low shot past Sayad Bin Abdul Kadir, ensuring a dramatic share of the spoils. The result leaves Churchill Brothers with 28 points from 15 matches, still top of the table but facing increased pressure from their title rivals. They will rue missed opportunities, particularly in the first half when Aminu and Sebastian Gutiérrez were thwarted by Sardar’s heroics. With eight wins, four draws, and three losses, Churchill still hold pole position, but this setback means there is little margin for error moving forward.
