New Delhi, Jan 5. (PTI): Goan club Coca Cola Churchill Brothers are all set to unleash Ghana striker Anthony Appiah as they plan to mount a serious challenge to dethrone defending Champions East Bengal in the ninth National Football League beginning next week.

Besides Antony, the Goans have found a new custodian from Delhi Vinay Kumar who was recruited following his impressive performance in the Santosh Trophy.

Churchill, who finished fourth in the last edition, are also planning to take on loan Punjab Police defender Harish Sharma, who played a major role in his state's run to the final in the national football championship in October.

"We have signed Antony and from what information I have got, he is as good a striker as Yakubu Yousif," Churchill Manager Alphonso Santiago told PTI here.

"Anthony will be completing all the formalities before our opening match against Mahindra United on January 14 but he is not confirmed to start the match as he will need some time to settle down," he said.

With Anthony's arrival, Churchill's foreign recruits quota would be full as they already have Yakubu and defender Osmanu Husseini.

"The Ghanaian is 26 years old and we signed him while he was negotiating an offer from Qatar," the manager said.

Antony would form a fearsome strike force with Yousif, who was only behind late Brazilian Christiano Junior (15) with 14 goals in the last edition, and veteran star I M Vijayan.