Anthony, Arata, Brown find the net as Pune script comeback win

29 Dec 2014

Pune FC 3 (Anthony D’Souza – 45+1, Izumi Arata – 66^th Eric Brown – 90+2)

beat

Shillong Lajong 1 (Lalrammuana – 16^th)

AIFF Media Team

VASCO: Pune FC came from a goal down to win 3-1 against Shillong Lajong in a Group B Hero Federation Cup encounter at the Tilak Maidan in Vasco on Monday (December 29, 2014).

Lajong’s Lalrammuana opened the scoring early on only to see the lead trimmed down either side of halftime courtesy goals from Pune FC’s Anthony D’Souza and Izumi Arata. Eric Brown consolidated Pune’s lead with the last touch of the ball.

Shillong started the match at a good pace and found the lead with only 16 minutes on the clock but Pune showed composure to come into the game and then win it with better second half performance.

It all started when Lalrammuana collected possession in the middle of the mark and ran at the rival defense which was caught napping to finally round the advancing goalkeeper and slot it into an empty net.

Down by a goal, the Karim Bencherifa coached team upped the ante grabbing a couple of corners in the next few minutes.

Eric Brown, Zodhmingliana Ralte, Arata Izumi all came close but lacked the zip until deep into first half stoppage time. Playmaker Ryuji Sueoka picked out Anthony D’Souza on the left inside the area, with the local boy packing a powerful drive low to the keeper’s left.

That was that in the first period as both teams went into the break on and even.

Pune FC started the half session better with Arata, Sueoka and Brown combing well in the attacking third. Sueoka set up Brown who forced a fine save from Lajong custodian Karzong Bhutia two minutes into the hour mark. Four minutes later, Pune took the lead.

Anthony darted inside the box to meet Eric’s through ball on the left but his effort brought out an athletic save from Bhutia albeit only as far as a lurking Arata who lapped the opportunity with both hands firing in the rebound home.

Brown added the icing on the cake with the last touch of the ball, robbing an opponent on the edge of the box to send home a powerful strike.