PIFA Colaba ease past Companeroes to collect three precious points in the MDFA Elite Division

by Kaushal Shukla December 23, 2014

PIFA Colaba dished out a clinical display to register a comfortable 4-1 win over Companeroes in and Elite Division game of the MDFA (Mumbai District Football Association) League at Cooperage on Monday, 22nd December.

PIFA’s raced to a three goal lead at half time and finished the job in the end despite Companeroes pulling one back after half time.

PIFA Colaba dominated the early stages of play as they had the majority of possession. But Companeroes defended astutely, reducing PIFA to very few openings until the 10th minute when PIFA’s Deep Morjani and Zeeshan Shaikh played a nice one-two but Deep Morjani failed to deliver a telling cross.

At the other end, Mudasir Ansari and Arun Patil tried to successfully replicate PIFA’s movement. But it was intervened by the PIFA defender at the expense of a corner. Companeroes appealed for a handball two minutes later when Pratik Patil’s shot seemed to have hit a PIFA defender’s hand. The referee waved off the appeals.

PIFA slowly started to get in the game as the Companeroes goal was under siege as PIFA were probing the Companeroes defence. It eventually cracked, when Alves Ozawara did brilliantly to set Zeeshan Shiakh on his was who held his nerves to finish past Wren D’Abreo to give PIFA a deserved lead in the 24th minute.

The goal boosted PIFA as they began to pepper the Companeroes goal and suddenly the Companeroes seemed lacking in confidence. Zeeshan Shaikh had two chances to double PIFA’s lead when Ganesh Kamat found him six yards out from the goal but he took too much time shoot allowing Comaneoes backline to recover.

But PIFA eventually doubled their lead when Kunal Narkar’s clumsy challenge on Ganesh Kamat prompted the referee to point to the spot. Alves Ozawara stepped up to convert in the 33rd minute to give PIFA a two goal cushion.

PIFA continued to boss the game as Companeroes failed to conjure up any chance of their own. PIFA then capped off a brilliant half with their third goal as Ganesh Kamath tapped in from close range in the 45th minute.

The referee blew for half time as PIFA Colaba made their dominance count. Companeroes needed stern introspection if they were to find their way back into the game or at least avoid a drubbing.

The second half had similar pattern as PIFA looked the more threatening. Although they couldn’t make a free kick count in the 51st minute. But Companeroes pulled one back seven minutes later when as Arun Patil ran into the space on the left wing and crossed for Reed Santos who finished emphatically over the keeper to give Companeroes hope.

Alves Ozawara responded immediately as his volley from a Zeeshan Shaikh cross was inches over. But he did not fail to make it 4-1, in the 64th minute when he headed home from close range to restore PIFA’s three goal lead.
Three minutes later Companeroes nearly got another one when Mudasir Ansari send his shot in the side netting after he was laid off brilliantly from a Companeroes midfielder.

In the 74th minute, Zeeshan Shaikh is was nearly sent clear by Alves Ozawara, but some brilliant defending from the Companeroes center back who put in a strong tackle, just at the right time to stop the attack.

Both teams made some changes with fifteen minutes left to play as Alves Ozawara was taken off to be replaced by Lester Creado, while Companeroes brought on Ravi Kanajia in pace of Arun Patil.

The Companeroes substitute nearly made an impact when his shot was deflected for a corner. The deflection had the PIFA goalkeeper scrambling. The game lacked any intensity as PIFA just tried to kill the game off while Companeroes knew the result was beyond them with just two minutes to play.