PANAJI
Ashique Kuruniyan starred with a hat-trick as Pune FC U-21s demolished Salgaocar FC U-21s 4-1 in their Bandodkar Gold Cup Group A match at Duler Stadium, in Mapusa on Friday.
With this win Pune FC now top the group with seven points, while Salgaocar stay on four points. The teams were locked in a 1-1 draw at the breather with Naro Hari Shrestha (31st min) scoring for Salgaocar, while Bhunthalun Samte (35th min) equalised for the visitors.
In the 10th minute of play, Pune’s Ashique Kuruniyan got hold of a loose ball inside the penalty box and drilled a power-packed right-footer, which was acrobatically parried off for a corner by Salgaocar custodian Rohan Sheikh to the relief of his team-mates. At the other end, Naro Hari Shrestha was well positioned just outside the penalty box and sent a superb placement to the far corner of the goal but Pune keeper flung to his left to push the ball for a corner.
Thereafter an excellent combined effort from the Greens saw them take the lead. Medio Jason Barbosa managed to squeeze the ball past a Pune defender to Myron Borges, who sent a defence-splitting pass to an overlapping Naro Hari Shrestha, whose shot brushed keeper Anuj Kumar's hands before going into the net. However, it did not take long for Pune to net the equaliser as Ashique Kuruniyan sent a deadly cross to the far post to Bhunthalun Samte who slammed it home past the Salgoacar keeper in the 35th minute, 1-1.
Pune FC were a transformed unit on crossing over and came with a series of raids on the rival citadel. In the 48th minute, Balkar Singh connected his shot at the goal off a corner from Bhunthalun Samthe, which was fisted for a corner by the Salgaocar keeper. Pune exerted more pressure but Salgaocar keeper Rohan rescued his side twice, saving a 30-yard freekick from Mohd Yasir and then fisted a long-ranger from Sahil Panwar. In the very next minute, a fierce shot from close by Sajid Hossain was blocked by defender Daniel Gomes.
After much probing, Salgaocar citadel collapsed in the 56th minute after a stinging strike from Ashique Kuruniyan found no answer from the Salgaocar keeper, 2-1. The Green brigade squandered a golden opportunity to score the equaliser in the 70th minute. Liston Colaco won the ball from the midfield and after beating the defender dribbled past the onrushing keeper Anuj Kumar but with an open goal in front of him saw his placement go out.
Pune almost netted their insurance goal in the 77th minute, when Ashique Kuruniyan picked a pass from Sebastian Thangmuansang and drilled a shot at the goal but it was blocked by Salgaocar keeper Rohan. In the last five minutes of the match, Salgaocar had two chances to level terms but Domnic Soares' tap off a cross from Harmanjot Singh hit defender Ashish Rai, while Klins Mendes' long-ranger was headed for a corner by Muirang Wungngayam.
In the stoppage-time, Ashique Kuruniyan netted two brilliant goals with his individual brilliance in the 91st and 94th minutes, to round off the score to 4-1. Kuruniyan received the Man of the match reward of Rs 5,000 for his efforts.
PLAYING TODAY
Sporting Clube de Goa v DSK Shivajians, Duler Stadium; Dempo SC v Snow's Football Academy, Raia; Kick-off: 4.15 pm.
