Sensational Pune FC hand Mumbai FC a 6-1 drubbing in the U-19 I-League

by Kaushal Shukla January 8, 2015

Pune FC produced an outstanding display of quality finishing as they thrashed Mumbai FC 6-1 at Cooperage on 7th January 2015, in the Maharashtra Qualifying zone of the U-19 I-League.

Mumbai FC were looking for a second straight win in the Maharashtra Qualifying zone as they faced a strong Pune FC side which had got the better of today’s hosts in the reverse fixture last month.

Mumbai FC began well, as Prathamesh Rokade missed a great chance to put them in front in the 6th minute after being played in on goal by Girik Khosla’s long ball, but the Mumbai FC forward put his effort wide.

Mumbai FC were trying to expose the Pune FC backline, who were holding a high line, with a lot of direct stuff. The Mumbai FC strikers were having plenty of joy running behind the Pune FC defence in the opening ten minutes. But as the game went on, Pune FC started getting more and more into the game, as they forced a save out of the Mumbai FC goalkeeper Nishant Shetty from Chesterpoul Lyngdoh who was played in on goal by Arif Shaikh in the 18th minute.

The latter put Pune FC in front three minutes later as he brilliantly headed a cross from Asheer Akhtar from Pune’s right flank. It was a brilliant move from the visitors as the home side’s bright start went in vain.
The goal settled Pune FC as they gained complete control of proceedings around the half hour mark. Pune FC were probing at the Mumbai defence, as the hosts were struggling to cope with the growing pressure. In the 35th minute Prince Anandraj was guilty of giving the ball away but he got lucky as Pune FC striker Aniket Jadhav slipped just before unleashing a shot at the Mumbai goal.

Prince made up for his initial error as he made a brilliant clearance in the 38th minute, preventing Arif Shiakh to double Pune’s lead. But the visitors were not be denied in the 43rd minute when Farukh Choudhary played in Sannik Murmu who fired past Nishant Shetty to make it 2-0.
Pune FC were full value for that two goal lead, as they went into the break firmly in the driver’s seat.

The second half started in similar fashion as Pune FC dictated the play. But Mumbai FC managed to stem the flow of chances in the first ten minutes since the restart.

In the 58th minute, Chesterpoul Lyngdoh nutmeged the Mumbai FC left back to drive past him as the left back brought him down in the box with a clumsy tackle from behind as the referee had no hesitation in awarding the visitors a penalty.

Myron Mendes stepped up, but his effort was brilliantly saved by the Mumbai Fc goalkeeper Nishant Shetty. Pune FC eventually got their third goal four minutes later, as Arif Shaikh send a looping header over the covering defender and into the net after Mumbai FC failed to deal with a long ball and allowed it to bounce in the box.
With the game virtually in the bag, Pune FC turned on the style as Altamesh Sayyd’s effort was saved acrobatically by Nishant Shetty in the 67th minute.

Pune FC made it 4-0 in the 71st minute, as Asheer Akhtar unleashed an unstoppable drive, which flew into the top corner. It was to be the pick of the goals in the game.

Altamesh Sayyad was denied yet again seven minutes later as his dipping effort came off the crossbar from which Chesterpoul Lyngdoh’s effort too hit the crossbar. He got injured in the clash with the Mumbai FC goalkeeper and had to be stretched off with a check bone injury. It was a nasty blow the Pune FC No.10 had taken as he was rushed to a hospital

Mumbai FC pulled one back through Nachiket Palav in the 81st minute after he slotted home from close range after the ball fell in his path resulting from a confusion in the Pune FC defence.

But there was no further joy for the hosts as Pune FC restored their foul goal lead two minutes later with Arif Shaikh completing his hat-trick after pouncing on a howler from the Mumbai FC center back.

Pune FC capped a fantastic night with yet another goal in the first minute of added time as Dimple Bhagat drove into the box from defence to drill a low shot past the goalkeeper to make it 6-1 in Pune’s favor.

The referee blew the final whistle as Mumbai FC were humiliated on their own patch as a scintillating Pune FC side took them to the cleaners thanks to a fantastic hat-trick from Arif Shaikh.
This was Mumbai FC’s fifth defeat of the campaign as their hopes of qualifying were ended.