T&T international Willis Plaza ended the 2018/2019 Indian I-League as the joint top-scorer on 21 goals with Spain’s Pedro Manzi after both players netted in their final league outings yesterday.
The 31-year-old Plaza, formerly of local clubs, San Juan Jabloteh and Central FC, and in his second year with Churchill Brothers in the I-League opened the scoring in the fifth minute versus Aizawl at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.
However, Hussien Eldor conceded an own goal in the 43rd minute before Liberian Ansumana Kromah scored a penalty in the 87th minute to hand Aizawl victory.
Former T&T World Cup 2006 team member, Anthony Wolfe, 35, was introduced off the bench by Churchill Brothers in the 64th minute, but he failed to add to his five goals from 14 outings this season.
The defeat left Churchill Brothers, fourth on the table with 34 points from 20 matches, nine adrift of champions Chennai City which came from behind to whip Minerva Punjab 3-1 with Manzi scoring the equalizer to take his tally to 21 goals as well.
January signing, T&T’s Marcus Joseph also found the net in a losing end to the season, also scoring the opening goal for Gokulam Kerala to second-placed East Bengal.
The 27-year-old Joseph fired in the go-ahead item in the 69th minute, but East Bengal roared back with strikes from Jaime Santos in the 79th and Laldanmawia Raite, five minutes from full-time to take the victory, but not enough for the league title with 42 points, one shy of Chennai.
Local defender Andre Ettienne also featured the entire match for Gokulam while striker Russell Alfred was not named in the 18-player roster.
Real Kashmir got the better of NERACO 3-2 to take the third spot with 36 points and a match left to play versus Minerva Punjab, which is currently level with Gokulam on 17 points, in ninth and tenth spot, six clear of relegated Shillong Lajong.