Second half own goal gifts Indian Navy a draw against Kenkre

by Kaushal Shukla May 28, 2015

Indian Navy needed an own goal in the second half to Kenkre to a 1-1 draw in an Elite Division game of the Mumbai District Football Association (MDFA) held at the Goan’s Sports Association on Wednesday, 27th May 2015.

Both the sides came into the game on the back of unbeaten runs as Navy beat KSA in their last game, while Kenkre salvaged a draw against Union Bank on the back of a couple of victories.

The game took a while to take off as both teams were trying to gauge each other in the opening exchanges.

But on the half hour mark, the deadlock was broken when Kenkre FC’s Nigerian striker Bernardinho headed Kenkre into the lead from a cross from the left flank.

Indian Navy tried to respond immediately before the break, but Kenkre held firm to deny them an equalizer before half time and maintain their lead into the interval.

Indian Navy coach made a double change at half time, bringing on Riyad B. in place of Pawandeep Singh and Anoop Pauly in place of Vikramjeet Singh.

Despite Navy’s quick start to the second half, it was Kenkre who had the best chance in the initial parts of the second half, when Bernardinho broke free of his marker to fire a goal bound volley which was brilliantly kept out by Navy goalkeeper Vishnu in the 60th minute.

The Ivorian was proving to a handful for the Navy defence and had kept them on their toes all afternoon.

But it was Indian Navy who bagged the equalizer when Sahir S’s cross was put into his own net in the 68th minute by Nitesh Aswani.

Kenkre threw on Faizan Thange with a view to regain the lead. Kenkre finished the game on the front foot with a few good chances falling to the Ivorian who failed to keep his efforts on target.

The game fizzled out at the end as both teams fairly content with a point.

The draw was a fair reflection of the game, in which both teams had their moments and patches of domination, but none of which was enough to get them all three points.