ISL: NorthEast United held to a 0-0 draw by FC Pune City in an entertaining match

Rehenesh TP of NorthEast United denies Dudu of FC Pune City in the math earlier tonight

In what was an exciting encounter, hosts NorthEast United FC could not find the breakthrough, as they drew with FC Pune City 0-0. The away team were content to play on the counter, while the home team dominated possession, but could not capitalise on the chances they created.

When NorthEast United FC played FC Pune City on November 3, the odds were stacked heavily against the home team for once. And rightly so, as Pune were then languishing in the bottom half of the table, while NorthEast United was comfortably perched in the top four. But the tables had since turned and FC Pune City could have gone top with a win in Guwahati.

A win for NorthEast would have taken them to the third position ahead of FC Pune City. With plenty on the line for both teams, the encounter between the two teams turned out to be one full of attacking endeavour and defensive solidity.

Pune for once gave up its preferred 4-4-2 formation and decided to counter NorthEast United’s 4-2-3-1 formation with a 4-1-4-1 formation. The fact that Pune missed John Goossens was evident from the fact that Dudu was playing up front as the lone striker. Also, the fact that marquee player David Trezeguet didn’t start for the third game in a row was an interesting to note.

Jermaine Pennant, who was signed by FC Pune City two weeks back, got his first game of the ISL. Arindam, who had a brilliant run as custodian in his three previous games, returned in goal for Pune ahead of their Italian custodian Belardi.

The game got off to a bright start at the Indira Gandhi Stadium with both sides showing speed and agility in the opening minutes. As the game progressed, the darting runs by the NorthEast United team started to become more and more evident. In fact, for a greater part of the game, FC Pune City were content on defending the ball and trying the occasional counter attack. The home team were trying their best to get either James Keene or Koke in the best possible positions to convert their superiority into a goal.

Midfield battle for supremacy

An interesting point that was made by one of the commentators during the match was that the goal would have to come from the midfield and not the forwards. And rightly so, as the majority of the match was played in midfield and saw passes being missed, or players getting tackled effectively by the opposition. And this was the case for both the teams.

It was disheartening to see Dudu fall deep into the defence only to take the ball forward with no support whatsoever. Coach Franco Colomba, perhaps, was aware of the situation, as he had decided to play just one striker up front. Questions might be asked why David Trezeguet hasn’t played a game since his outing against NorthEast United back home in Pune. Given his ability on the ball and his clinical finish, he was missed in the game today.

NorthEast United are known to be an attacking team and have always looked to dominate games against opponents. And it was the case today too. There were times when Garcia and Capdevila would move up the pitch to help the midfield try and penetrate the Pune defence. Even the 22-year-old Brazilian Felipe continued to dart ahead, only to be thwarted by the Pune defence.

If one looks at the previous game between these two teams, the winning goal for Pune came in the dying minutes of the game. But the game changed completely when Dudu and Goossens came on as late substitutes to infuse the much needed pace and energy in the Pune attack. While there were no such heroics in place this time for Pune, NorthEast tried to replicate the same strategy by bringing Chansa on for the ineffective Keene and Pune too retaliated by making their own change, bringing Vadocz on for Colomba.

While both sides traded shots, it was NorthEast United who dominated proceedings throughout the game. Pune came very close to scoring when Vadocz’s shot on the NorthEast United goal was saved by Rehenesh. Pune might also have been denied a possible penalty when Columba seemed to have been fouled by Garcia in the NorthEast United penalty area. The referee ended up dismissing the appeal from Davide wile replays showed that there could have been a stamp from Garcia on Davide.

Koke tried hard to get the home team the goal but nothing clicked. There were two chances in the final minutes of the game when Chansa let loose a volley that bounced off the chest of the Pune custodian Arindam dangerously. He recovered in time to pounce on the ball and stop NorthEast from scoring. In the 92 minute of the game, Pune were awarded a free kick just outside the NorthEast box which was taken deftly by Kostas. Ravanan tried to place the ball inside the near post but his header sailed just wide.

At the end of the match, there was nothing to separate the two teams as they retained their positions in the ISL table.