PUNE, May 11: Strikers James Moga and Boima Karpeh sparkled with a goal each on either side of the halftime as Pune FC defeated Pailan Arrows 2-0 to clinch the second position, the best-ever by the young Pune club, which made its I-League debut in 2009.
Since Pune FC entered the scene, they has remained as one of the top five clubs, but 2012-13 season will go down as watershed year in which the Red Lizards had real chance of claiming the title.
The win on Saturday took Pune FC’s points tally to 52, same as Churchill Brothers, who play their last league match here on Sunday against Air India. Pailan Arrows finished on No 12 position with 23 points having scored 25 goals and allowed 45 into their posts.
Pune FC joined Churchill Brothers as the top-scoring team with 53 goals scored and allowed 26 pass through their forte.
On a hot Saturday afternoon, Pune FC began quite sluggishly, but the Red Lizards picked up pace midway through the first half with the man-of-the-match Douhou Pierre setting up numerous chances upfront.
The deadlock was broken in the 39th minute when James Moga fired a stray ball with sheer power. It was Gurjinder Singh who set up Boima Karpeh and the Liberia-born Australian bulldozed his way through before taking a shot at the goal.
The ball was blocked by the Pailan defenders but Moga surged ahead and finished off the stray ball with a powerful grounder that Pailan Arrows goalkeeper Soram Poirei had no chance of stopping.
The second goal came in the 65th mnute when Douhou beat a defender and set up Karpeh on the left. The striker went around the goalkeeper before sliding the ball into the post for 2-0 lead.
Arrows tried their best, but their attack was disjointed and efforts very feeble to even threaten Pune FC goalkeeper Amrinder Singh even once.
The match began with Pune FC winning a free-kick in the very eighth minute, but Douhou’s curling attempt went just wide of the post.
The 23rd minute saw Boima and Moga combining well to sneak into the Pailan defence. Moga then set up Velington Rocha on the wing, but the cross got blocked.
Three minutes later Douhou again gave Rocha a chance on the right, but there was little back-up from the mid-field. Khanthang Paite finally reached the ball but his cross had no takers.
Moga threatened yet again when his shot hit the crossbar. The South Sudanese striker moved ahead to control the ball but Peorei rushed ahead and blocked the fantastic attempt.
On resuming, Pune FC went on overdrive with Douhou, Moga, Karpeh and Izumi Arata running through the wings in tandem. Once Pune FC went 2-0 up, the home team took it easy. Moga was enterprising, once he went wide into the right before his shot hit the side nettings.
Since Pune FC entered the scene, they has remained as one of the top five clubs, but 2012-13 season will go down as watershed year in which the Red Lizards had real chance of claiming the title.
The win on Saturday took Pune FC’s points tally to 52, same as Churchill Brothers, who play their last league match here on Sunday against Air India. Pailan Arrows finished on No 12 position with 23 points having scored 25 goals and allowed 45 into their posts.
Pune FC joined Churchill Brothers as the top-scoring team with 53 goals scored and allowed 26 pass through their forte.
On a hot Saturday afternoon, Pune FC began quite sluggishly, but the Red Lizards picked up pace midway through the first half with the man-of-the-match Douhou Pierre setting up numerous chances upfront.
The deadlock was broken in the 39th minute when James Moga fired a stray ball with sheer power. It was Gurjinder Singh who set up Boima Karpeh and the Liberia-born Australian bulldozed his way through before taking a shot at the goal.
The ball was blocked by the Pailan defenders but Moga surged ahead and finished off the stray ball with a powerful grounder that Pailan Arrows goalkeeper Soram Poirei had no chance of stopping.
The second goal came in the 65th mnute when Douhou beat a defender and set up Karpeh on the left. The striker went around the goalkeeper before sliding the ball into the post for 2-0 lead.
Arrows tried their best, but their attack was disjointed and efforts very feeble to even threaten Pune FC goalkeeper Amrinder Singh even once.
The match began with Pune FC winning a free-kick in the very eighth minute, but Douhou’s curling attempt went just wide of the post.
The 23rd minute saw Boima and Moga combining well to sneak into the Pailan defence. Moga then set up Velington Rocha on the wing, but the cross got blocked.
Three minutes later Douhou again gave Rocha a chance on the right, but there was little back-up from the mid-field. Khanthang Paite finally reached the ball but his cross had no takers.
Moga threatened yet again when his shot hit the crossbar. The South Sudanese striker moved ahead to control the ball but Peorei rushed ahead and blocked the fantastic attempt.
On resuming, Pune FC went on overdrive with Douhou, Moga, Karpeh and Izumi Arata running through the wings in tandem. Once Pune FC went 2-0 up, the home team took it easy. Moga was enterprising, once he went wide into the right before his shot hit the side nettings.
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