PUNE: Pune FC edged past Pailan Arrows 1-0, in the 21st round I League encounter at the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune on Sunday. Pune’s Mandjou Keita scored the solitary goal of the match.
Mandjou Keita fired one in the 41st minute following a move set-up by Douhou Pierre and executed by Izumi Arata just before the break. But the lone goal victory was enough for Pune to claim its rightful place high up the I-League table with just five more rounds to be played.
After squandering some close chances, Pune opened their account in the 41st minute when Douhou Pierre sent a long pass to Izumi Arata on a counter attack. The Japanese striker found Mandjou Keita in the clear on the left, who received the ball on the overlap and shot past Pailan custodian Ravi Kumar with ease.
Pailan made their first credible move when CS Sabeeth raced from the centre beating two defenders, but Subrata Paul rushed to the top of the box and foiled the attempt. Then Gurjinder’s attempt earned Pune FC a corner, but it was wasted in the 35th minute before Tabia made his move four minutes later, but Ravi Kumar jumped high to intercept the ball.
On changing the ends, Subhash made the first move sending a superb low ball from the left to Karma in the box, but the wily striker missed the line of the ball in front of him leaving the fans wanting for more.
Paul’s presence under the bar was exemplified as he made yet another save when Alwyn fired a shot that dangerously zipped towards the post before finding the keeper in the way.
With this win Pune consolidated its position on the league table with 37 points from 21 outings while Pailan Arrows stays at 8 points from 19 matches.
Sporting Clube de Goa 1 (James Moga – 5th)D/WChurchill Brothers SC 1 (Zakeer Mundampara – 53rd)
MARGAO: Sporting Clube de Goa and Churchill Brothers settled for a 1-1 draw that did neither team any good in the 21st round I League clash at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Sunday.
James Moga scored a brilliant header in the fifth minute but Churchill Brothers, not to be outdone, leveled the scores in the 53rd minute through the boots of Zakeer Mundampara.
In a match of two halves, Sporting Clube wasted plenty of chances to kill the match in the first session itself but Churchill created several chances after the change of ends with Zakeer’s strike being the only success.
Sporting Clube surged ahead early when James rose high to meet Nigerian midfielder Ogba Kalu’s free kick right inside the goalmouth. Churchill goalkeeper Felix D’Souza left his charge but could not beat the South Sudan striker to the ball.
Thereafter, Sporting Clube had three chances to kill the match as a contest, but at first Macroy Peixoto shot into the legs of the defender when James had done well to snatch the ball from Gouramangi Singh. There was another chance for James but his shot missed the target from close range.
At the other end, Churchill striker Henri Autchouet did plenty of running and created ripples inside the Sporting danger zone but the Gabonese striker lacked a good final touch. Brazilian Roberto Mendes da Silva was also presented with an opportunity when he was nicely picked out by Denzil Franco but Beto’s shot was wide of the mark.
In the second session, Churchill’s attacks were relentless and it paid off in the 53rd minute when Zakeer’s low grounder from just outside the box found the far corner.
The equalizer spurred Churchill and they hunted vigorously but with ND Opara and Henri not having the best of matches, the equalizer remained elusive till the final whistle.
Churchill now have 35 points from 20 matches in their kitty while Sporting Clube are left with 31 points from 21 outings.
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