ISL 2015: Pune City move to top of table with 1-0 win over NorthEast United

FC Pune City celebrate after taking the lead over NorthEast United (Image courtesy of ISL)

FC Pune City beat NorthEast United FC 1-0 at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium in Pune on Friday night to go joint top of the Indian Super League table. A Zohmingliana Ralte own goal in the second half saw the Maharashtra side pick up all three points. Meanwhile, the result sees NorthEast United at the bottom of the table after two losses in the opening two fixtures.

First Half: Pune City and NorthEast fail to convert chances

The first chance of the match went to NorthEast United when Nicolas Velez turned centre back Dharmaraj Ravanan wonderfully inside the box, but his squared ball was cleared by the Pune defence for a corner. The home team were passing the ball with a lot of confidence in the opening minutes of the game and coach David Platt has got Pune City to play an attractive brand of football. His players always seemed to have an option to pass when they find themselves in tight situations.

Former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu was presented with his first chance of the tournament when Ruiz chested the ball down inside the box for the Romanian. But his half-volley was parried away for a corner by keeper Gennaro Bracigliano.

FC Pune City’s Adrian Mutu takes a free kick against NorthEast United FC (Image courtesy of ISL)

Velez continued to make mince meat of the Pune defence, his clever turn at one stage leaving Ravanan for dead. The striker found himself clear to run towards the goalkeeper, but his shot from the near post missed the far corner by a whisker. The angle was too acute even for someone of his calibre. Pune’s stadium can hold 22,000 fans but even though it was only half-full, they definitely made themselves heard throughout the course of the game.

Bracigliano looked shaky in front of goal for NorthEast and even failed to catch a simple floating ball on more than one occasion. At the other end, the away team had the best spell of the first half at the half hour mark.

Kamara bulldozed his way through the Pune defence from the left wing and his pullback was scampered away for a corner. The set play caught Pune off guard and Reagan Singh’s stinging shot from the right was palmed away for another corner by keeper Steve Simonsen.

With five minutes to half time, Pune had the best chance of the first half. Yendrick Ruiz’s headed flick fell into Adrian Mutu’s path but his left-footed shot was weak and was comfortably saved by Bracigliano.

Half Time: Pune City 0-0 NorthEast United

Second Half: Ralte own goal gives Pune City three points

Both sides started the second half on the front foot, getting behind the opposition defence at regular intervals. The hero for Pune in their last match Gurung was replaced by Sushanth Matthew just 10 minutes into the second half.

Seconds after substitution, the away side spurned a wonderful opportunity to take the lead. Velez found himself in an offside position and tried to round off keeper Simonsen who did well to ward off the danger. The resulting loose ball fell to Kamara, but he slashed it wide into the side netting from close range when he should have at least hit the target.

With 30 minutes to play, Platt replaced Mutu for Turkish striker Tuncay Sanli. Velez continued to be Pune’s tormentor-in-chief with his off the ball movement causing Pune’s back four a host of problems. The diminutive Argentine will be the one to watch as the tournament progresses.

Tuncay looked lively from the minute he came on to the pitch. His strike at the 70-minute mark found the back of the net but was adjudged offside by the linesman. The last touch came from a NorthEast player’s head who flicked it into the Turks path.

Pune City finally took the lead in the 72nd minute from a corner. The ball was whipped in from the left wing and Zohmiangliana Ralte headed the ball into his own net for an own goal. He didn’t know much about that one as it came off the back off his head.

Steven Simonsen celebrates Pune City’s goal (Image courtesy of ISL)

Two minutes later, Velez should have put the visitors on par. Dadzie chipped in a wonderful ball into the Pune box to find the Argentine but his shot from three yards out found the side netting. That was easily the best chance of the match for the visitors although the angle wasn’t completely in his favour. But he should have hit the target at least.

Velez tried to make amends when he put his dancing shoes on and went past two Pune City defenders to square it off from the left wing. But the ball was cleared for a corner by defender Roger Johnson. Reagan Singh then unleashed one from distance which zipped past the right post.

NorthEast were unlucky not equalize. Just like the first half, they had periods of dominance with no end product. Pune City would consider themselves lucky to come away with all three points.