ISL 2015, Match 7: FC Pune City vs NorthEast United FC

FC Pune City registered their second successive Hero Indian Super League 2015 win on Friday, beating NorthEast United FC 1-0 at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium in Pune.

Pune got their goal in the 73rd minute with NorthEast’s Ralte putting the ball into the back of his own net off a corner kick taken by Lalrempuia.

Diomansy Mehdi Moustapha Kamara of NorthEast United tries to get past the defence of FC Pune City.

As Pune attempt to go top of the table and NEUFC look to out their first points on the board, here are two players to watchout for in Fridays encounter.

“The six foreigners and five Indian boys are doing well and once a few of the boys come into the first eleven, we will be much better”, he opined.

FC Pune City players thought to have gone ahead when Tuncay Sanli blasted his shot on goal in the 69th minute but was ruled offside.

The River Plate youth product had a couple of opportunities to score but was denied each time, with his shot going inches wide or sidenetting.

The arena appeared to be watch to the goalless first half. But they showed that they were bereft of ideas and failed to find the equaliser. After Delhi’s John Arne Riise thwarted danger for his team Delhi Dynamos on Thursday evening, it was the 6’3 Englishman Johnson that made up for Pune’s backline lapses. The Turkish worldwide added spark in the Pune attack and he was in the thick of the things.

Injured midfielder Brandon Fernandes should also be available while it remains to be seen if Anelka prefers to continue with young goalkeeper Albino Gomes or opts for the slightly more experienced Debjit Majumder, who won the I-League with Mohun Bagan last season.

The second half was more lively with NorthEast pressing forward. We were positive, controlled the game and attacked consistently. Pune’s Lenny Rodrigues said: “Thank God for this victory”.