Pune: Pune FC rode on striker Mandjou Keita’s second half brace to register a 3-1 win over Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bangalore in an I-League (Round-8) encounter at the Balewadi Sports Complex, here on Sunday.
The win was creditable as it exacted the defeat the home side suffered last season. Incidentally, the margin of victory was the biggest by either side in the six meetings they have had so far.
Mandjou Keita scored in the 64th and 76th minutes respectively after setting up Subash Singh with a 40th minute equalizer to help Pune FC stage a comeback win over the Bangalore side. Earlier, HAL enjoyed the distinction of scoring first in the match when striker Jagaba Hamza (19th minute) netted for HAL.
The win was Pune FC’s third at home and second in a row and swelled their tally to 11 points to take them up the league table into 7th position, with one match left in the round.
The host’s began the game playing Subash Singh in place Jeje Lalpekhlua, Arata Izumi (for Douhou Pierrie) and Shanmugam Venkatesh (for Baldeep Singh).
Pune FC began with a bang, when Shanmugam Venkatesh missed directing home a Karma Tsewang ball that was floated in from the right.
The home side looked aggressive but in the final third they could not get in a well directed finish.
The visitors in the meanwhile had Vinoth Kumar test the Pune FC keeper with a long try from 30-yards to the first post, which well kept with a dive by Abhra Mondal.
HAL went one up when confusion in the back line when the strike duo of Vinoth Kumar and Jagaba Hamza followed a high ball in the Pune FC penalty box. As the ball bounced the Pune FC missed clearing to safety and in the confusion Hamza slotted home from close beating the ‘keeper Abhra Mondal.
A long clearance off a HAL flag-kick from the Pune FC box found Mandjou Keita a yard into his his own half leading him to cut loose on solo on the left wing. With defenders Chandandeep Singh and Liliyan Kenneth to deal with, Keita turned back, released a square ball to an advancing Subash Singh who finished with his second touch from 6-yards below the diving ‘keeper P Pramod.
Spurred by the goal, Arata Izumi’s solo was cut-short by Chandandeep Singh a yard from the penalty box on the left, which turned out to be a lucky escape for HAL from conceding a penalty-kick. Keita took a stiff free-kick to the top of the goalmouth which needed to be punched out
Thereafter Pune FC survived a scare when Malengamba Meetei hglancing header off a corner-kick was cleared off the line by Karma.
After sharing honors 1-1 at half time, Pune FC came back and dominated. Their hardwork paid off four minutes past hour. Gurjinder Kumar, moving deep on the left, did well to release the ball to Lester Fernandez positioned on the top of the penalty area. Lester in turn played forward to Subash who turned to chip and find unmarked Keita at the other end head home.
Pune FC’s third was the best of the day. Keita did well to chest and control a measured long ball played by Shanmugam Venkatesh. Keita’s anticipation beat Joseph Adeola and what followed was a stinging half volley by the striker that gave the keeper no chance.
