AGENCIES
PUNE: A scrappy Pune FC went down 0-2 to Salgaocar FC in a match that the home team should have won to improve their chances of challenging the league leaders, but destiny had something else in store on Saturday in a Round 19 I-League football match, here.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Given the way Pune FC had beaten Salgaocar in their away match, the home side started as favourites but soon after the match started Pune had no place to hide their blushes at Balewadi Stadium.
This was Pune’s third loss in four games as Francis Fernandes scored twice in the first half to leave the home team seeking answers to how come their defence became so porous. Towards the end, Pune tried all the tricks but instead ended up being reduced to 10-men after Gurjinder Kumar was shown the red card for a blatant stamp on Josimar Martins with three minutes remaining for the regulation time to end.
The win propelled Salgaocar to the 10th spot and should given the Goan side some cushion from falling close to the drop zone. Pune FC, meanwhile fell down to the fifth spot as Prayag United, which won in the afternoon moved up on better goal difference though both teams were on 30 points apiece.
Pune FC coach Derrick Pereira benched non-performing striker James Moga, but his replacement Jeje Lalpekhlua was no better. Even before the first half was over, Moga was sent in and Jeje called out, in a clear sign of desperation from Pereira.
The away side were on the offensive and stunned the stadium into silence, as early as the second minute, when Francis slammed home a deep Randeep Singh cross at the far post, to give his side the lead.
Luciano Sobrosa almost doubled the advantage. However a Pune FC defender deflected his shot wide.
With the hosts unable to grab the initiative, the match tempo started petering out and the most notable moment of the half came in the 87th minute, when Gurjinder Kumar was sent-off for stamping at Josimar, which sparked an ugly brawl between the two sides.
Meanwhile, CK Vineeth pumped in three goals in the space of 11 minutes to complete his hat-trick as Prayag United SC thrashed hosts Air India 4-1 in a Round 19 I-League football match at Balewadi Stadium, here, Saturday.
Ranty also netted for Prayag while Elijah Junior scored a consolation goal through a spot kick.
At Shillong, Lajong on Saturday ended their spate of draws at home after they piped United Sikkim 2-1 at JN Sports Complex.
After playing a barren first half, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock when Linkekar Machado tapped in an Ashish Chettri cross in the 66th minute.
In the 81st minute, substitute PC Lalhlimthara gently headed home Sho Kamimura’s half volley to equalize.
It was in added time that referee Raktim Saha of Tripura awarded a free kick in favour of the home side after Pablo Rodriguez brought down Sushil Singh just outside the box. Samson Ramengmawaia took the shot which was headed by Sushil towards man-of-the-match Taisuke Matsugae who made no mistake in prodding home from close.
At Kalyani, a 10-man East Bengal weathered a determined bid from Pailian Arrows before nudging out the latter 2-1 in a Round 19 I-League football match at Municipal Stadium, here, Saturday.
The match was decided in the first half where Bengal found their goals from Nigerian Edeh Chidi, who scored a penalty, and Lalrindika Ralte and overtook Arrows, who had found the lead first off Alwyn George. The only notable incident in the second half was the ejection of substitute forward Manandeep Singh in the 75th minute, after which East Bengal endured the remaining time with 10 men and conserved the lead to ensure the full quota of points.
