PANAJI
Sporting Clube de Goa were beaten 1-2 in extra time as Pune FC advanced to the finals of the Bandodkar Gold Cup football tournament, organized by GFA, at Duler Stadium in Mapusa on Monday. Pune FC will now face Dempo SC in the finals at the same venue in a 7 pm kick-off on Tuesday. The Golden Eagles vanquished Churchill Brothers 4-0 in the other semi-final in Navelim on Monday.
In a well contested first session at Duler, the teams went into the breather locked in a 1-1 draw. Nigerian Ndidi Chukwuma (3rd min) put Sporting ahead, while Buanthanglun Samte (14th min) equalized for Pune FC.
In the very third minute of the match, Pune’s Rajat Kumar was caught in act, coming with a reckless challenge on Sarineo Fernandes inside the danger zone and referee Anthony Simoes, without any hesitation pointed to the spot. Chukwuma made no mistake, sending the rival keeper the wrong way to score the opener. Sporting had two more chances to inflate their lead in the 8th and 10th minutes, but Moises D’Sa and Chukwuma failed to beat the Pune keeper Anuj Kumar in one-to-one situations.
Pune caught the Sporting defence napping in the 14th minute, when their skipper Mohd. Yasir sent a delightful pass to an unmarked Buanthanglun Samte, who entering the penalty box sent an adroit placement to make it 1-1. The next 15 minutes of the match were restricted to midfield with both the teams reducing the tempo of the match.
However in the 34th minute, Pune’s Mohd. Yasir sent an intelligent through pass to Omega Vanlalhruaitlvanga, who was brought down by Sporting's Franzil Negredo inside the danger zone. This time, referee awarded a penalty in Pune’s favour. However, goalscorer Buanthanglun Samte saw his strike from the spot being brilliantly saved by Sporting keeper Sherwin DaCunha. Five minutes before the breather, Ashique Kuruniyan -- the highest goal scorer for Pune FC -- got hold of a pass from an overlapping stopper back Rajat Kumar and drilled a low shot which was pushed for a corner by keeper Sherwin with a diving save.
Just six minutes into the second session, Sporting almost took the lead as substitute Akeraj Martins lept high to connect a Sarineo Fernandes floater at the goal but Pune keeper Anjuj Kumar came up with a superb collection. At the other end, the Sporting keeper was equal to the task as he parried the ball over the crossbar from a close range shot by Omega Vanlalhruaitlvanga off a pass from Lalawmpuia.
In the 75th minute Sporting’s Daryl Costa collected a long pass from Quan Gomes, raced forward with the ball to hoodwink defender Rajat and an onrushing keeper Anuj but to everyone's surprise, placed the ball past the side post. In the 87th minute, Pune keeper Anuj Kumar came up with a breathtaking save to block a Daryl Costa header from inside the 6-yard box off Akeraj Martins cross.
The Sporting keeper at the other end managed to fist the ball for a corner off a stinging shot from Ashique Kuruniyan just inside the penalty box in the 89th minute. With the regulation time ending in 1-1 draw, twenty minutes of additional time was played. In the 105th minute of extra time Pune skipper Mohd. Yasir drilled a scorching 25-yard freekick which crashed into the top corner of the goal, 2-1.
In the closing stages of the match Pune were awarded another penalty kick after Sporting’s Shawn
Noronha brought down Omega, who however shot out from the penalty spot. Pune’s Omega Vanlalhruaitlvanga received the Man of the match cash prize of Rs 5,000 at the hands of Santosh Bandodkar, GFA executive committee member.
