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Pune FC continued to be a tough nut to crack at home by playing out a 0-0 draw with East Bengal in a I-League Round 14
encounter at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mhalunge- Balewadi, on Saturday.
In a game of missed chances by either side with Pune FC having the better of exchanges on target the end-result helped the home side stretch their unbeaten run to eight matches.
The point earned by Pune FC swelled their tally to 23 points after 14 rounds and kept their slate clean against the Kolkata side at home.
The game began with both teams opting to probe within the midfield. After sparring for six minutes, proceedings temporarily held up due to a technical glitch with the generator of a light tower.
A seven-and-a half-minute hold up, the match began with Pune FC going all out in attacks. It was in the 15th minute when Pune FC’s had their first attempt on goal. Defender Chika Wali sent in a cross from the right and Jeje Lalpekhlua connected a soft header, ahead of two defender, into ‘keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
Four minutes later a combined effort by Lester Fernandez, Keita Mandjou and Douhou Pierre in the midfield had Karma Tsweang from the right cross from right, which once again had Jeje head feebly wide.
Karma then had a try saved by the keeper from 25-yards out. It wasn’t long for Pune FC to go close to going one-up. In the 42nd minute Douhou split the defence with a pass that left Karma in the clear. Capatalising on the through ball, Karma was left ina one-on-one situation with the keeper, but in his bid to control his second touch left him wanting with his finish.
Lester from the left cut in and managed to let loose a curling right footer aimed at the far post. The shot was stiff, but again Gurpreet proved tough to beat with a full stretched dive to his left to keep the ball out.
Changing ends, Pune FC found themselves at the receiving end initially. Striker Tolgay Ozbey went close blasting a shot over after getting the better of the Pune FC defence line which otherwise did well to ward off any challenge.
At the other end, Douhou floated the ball well to Keita on the left. The striker got his header and direction right, but the ball anxiously went inches wide.
Over the next 15 minutes of the game thereafter, Pune FC ‘keeper Abhra Mondal came up with excellent saves to keep the scoreboard blank.
Abhra’s first save came when he bravely blocked a Penn Orji attempt after Tolgay pushed in a great ball into the penalty box.
Having survived a close call, Douhou at the other was brought down by Saumik Dey. Appeals for a penalty were turned down and ended in a goal kick being awarded by the referee.
In a similar instance at the other end, keeper Abhra dived to keep Tolgay from capatalising the ball and earned the benefit of doubt by the referee.
As the match neared the last ten minutes, Keita found company in substitute Arata Izumi (on for Karma) and forced in a move from the right. Arata finding the opportunity had his try tipped over by the keeper.
As the match moved into the last moments of added time, Jeje after collecting an Arata pass tried from top of the box which sailed over.
