Published>Fri, May 21 10 05:18 AM
Pune FC capped off a memorable inaugural season in the ONGC I-League with a convincing victory over second-placed Churchill Brothers, thrashing them 4-1 at the Balewadi Sports Complex yesterday.
The home side dominated from the start and had several scoring chances, with Brazilian striker Edmar Figueira missing a simple tap-in by a fraction of a second, and skipper Shanmugam Venkatesh losing his footing with free space in the penalty area. The pressure finally paid off in the 26 th minute, when Venkatesh sent a high, dipping ball across the width of the field to Arata. The Japanese striker collected it on his chest, skipped past Rodrigues on the left flank, and smashed the ball from a tight angle past Churchill keeper Arindham Bhattacharya, who watched the ball bounce off his fingertips into the right bottom corner of the net.
Arata helped double the lead five minutes later, as he produced a teasing lob right over the Churchill defence that bounced right in the penalty box. The defense, as well as the keeper Bhattacharya, were caught napping as Edmar Figueira rushed onto the ball and calmly pushed it past him to give Pune FC a 2-0 lead.
At the start of the second half, Churchill played some attacking football. The Goa club produced some fine saves from Subrata Paul, with striker Felix Chimaokwl having his powerful shot from outside the penalty area blocked by the PFC custodian. Chimaokwl got his revenge in the 56 th minute, however, as he was left unmarked in the D when teammate Durga Boro floated in a cross from the right. The Nigerian rose up and headed past a helpless Paul to make it 2-1 in PFC's favour.
In the 73rd minute, against the run of play, PFC's Nigerian striker Douhou Sey Djidja Pierre curled a long cross from the left flank over the outstretched arms of the Churchill keeper, which found a waiting Figueira who tapped in an open header at the far post to give the home side a 3-1 lead.
Jeje Lalpekhlua came on in place of PFC skipper Venkatesh with barely three minutes left to play. This substitution proved to be decisive as Lalpekhlua weaved his way past the Churchill defense in the 91 st minute, only to be brought down in the area by Tmokchom Naoba Singh. Stand-in captain Paul took the decisive penalty.
Paul calmly sent his opposite number Bhattacharya the wrong way to tap the ball into an empty right corner and seal a 4-1 victory.
The win, provided Churchill fail to win their last match of the season next week, would ensure that the PFC ends a good first season in the I-league at a commendable second place.
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