MARGAO: Pushed to fourth in the league standings after Mahindra finished their campaign with a win against JCT, Churchill Brothers will have to come up with an inspired showing at home against Air India to finish second behind I-League champions Dempo SC.

Keeping aside all the disappointments of their lacklustre campaign, Churchill need to fire on all cylinders as they tackle Airmen in the last round match at Nehru Stadium, here on Friday. Having lost their crown to state rivals Dempo SC rather meekly, the dethroned champions are in a spot of bother after blowing away a two-goal lead against East Bengal in the last match.
At the start of the league, Churchill were the overwhelming favourites to defend their  maiden title but inconsistency and poor results at home have been the undoing for Carlos Roberto Silva’s side which is now in danger of even finishing out of top-three. Second-placed Pune FC have swelled their tally further to 42 points after Thursday’s 1-1 draw against Dempo while Mahindra pulled ahead of Churchill to third with a 2-1 win against JCT to have 40 points — a point more than that of the Goans.
So, only a win on Friday will propel Churchill to the second spot and give some solace to the outgoing champions. For Churchill, their skipper Odafe Okolie time and again has proved his worth in weight to the team. The Nigerian goalscoring machine will be again the key man for the hosts and despite the championship and AFC Cup setbacks, the league’s highest paid footballer will be satisfied on a personal front for amassing 20 goals and leading the chart over second-placed Joshimar Da Silva Martins of Chirag United by four goals.
Air India (28 points) are precariously placed fourth from the bottom, just above Mumbai FC (26 points), Lajong Shillong FC, Sporting Clube de Goa, and are in the danger of relegation. But despite the horrors, the airmen have their destiny in their own hands. If Yusuf Ansari’s side can get an upset result over Churchill, neither Mumbai nor Lajong can overtake the Mumbai outfit. But it’s always easier said than done.
It’s a crunch situation for Air India but they do have a roster with some notable names in captain Vijit Shetty, Peter Odafe, Syed Farid, Soccoro Velho and Praneel Mendon and it will be a test of character for these seniors to keep the airmen flying in the elite competition.