Pune: FC Pune City beat Kerala Blasters FC by 3-2 in a thriller at Balewadi Stadium in Pune on Tuesday. Mohammed Rafid opened the score-line through a header in the just 48th second of the match and put ahead Kerala Blasters. Kalu Uche scored back-to-back two goals for the home team in the 16th and 23rd minute and to give the hosts a 2-1 lead. In the 30th minute, Rafid scored the equaliser for the visitors. Sanli Tuncay (FC Pune City) scored the match deciding goal after he netted the ball through a header in the 72nd minute. Except Uche’s second goal, all other goals came through headers.
After this win, Pune City climbed to the top of the table; while Kerala Blasters remained at the last spot after their fourth consecutive defeat in ISL 2015.
Here are the hits and flops from the match.
HITS
Nicky Shorey (FC Pune City): Shorey was extraordinary in this match. He made three top-class assists in the match and was the main herofor his team’s victory. The English defender led his team from the front till the end of the match. He was almost unbeatable in today’s match. It was no surprise that he was selected as the “Hero of the Match”.
Mohammed Rafid (Kerala Blasters FC):- Surely Rafid was a tragic hero in this encounter. His performance was outstanding in the entire match. He scored the fastest goal in the ISL history through header in the 48th second of the match. He also scored an equaliser from another header in the 30th minute. He was injured and was sent off in the 70th minute of the match. Had he played the whole, the score-line could have been different at the end.
FLOPS
Diego Colotto (FC Pune City):- Colotto allowed Rafid to score his fast goal in this match. The Pune City defender never looked comfortable in the first half. He could not stand on his manager’s faith and therefore was benched at the beginning of the second half of the match.
Peter Ramage (Kerala Blasters FC):- Surely he will want to forget this day. The EPL defender seemed out of place in this game. His faults helped Uche to score two goals with much ease. His performance is surely giving a big headache to Peter Taylor.
