Dsk Shivajians and Minerva Punjab play out season ending 4-4 thriller

by Pushpak Shirwadkar May 1, 2017

Minerva Punjab staged a spectacular fightback to share the spoils of battle with the hosts DSK Shivajians, in a season-ending thriller that read 4-4 on the scoreboard in their last match of the Hero I-League season today (April 30, 2017).

The home side went into this game making five changes. Soirem Anganba, Sasa Kolunija, Shane McFaul, Sanu Pradhan and Jerry Mawihmingthanga all replaced Abhishek Das, Sairuat Kima, Vanlalremkima, Kim Seong Yong and Gouramangi Singh respectively.

For Minerva, David Ngaihte, Fanai Lalrempuia, Singh and Manandeep all sat this game out, while Moinuddin, Kamalpreet Singh, S. Das and Sangwan all went into the team.

The start couldn’t have been worse for the Punjab side, who conceded with the clock at 10 minutes. Kim Seong Yong beat the offside trap to finish home with a delicate shot into the bottom left corner. Minerva’s defence had trouble holding the DSK Shivajains’ attack in check with chances for Lallianzuala Chhangte, Juan Quero and Kim Seong Yong throughout the half.

The lead would then be doubled by Kim, who rounded the keeper and guided it home. 2-0 became 3-0 in a flicker when Juan Quero cut infield from the left and let rip a stunner into the top corner of the Minerva goal. Half-time beckoned with the Shivajians enjoying a three-goal buffer.

The first signs of a comeback by Minerva Punjab surfaced in the 46th minute when Khosla won and converted his penalty, conceded by Gourmangi Singh. Chhangte sped through on goal only to see his effort saved by Arshdeep, who came sweeping out.

3-1 became 3-2 just 20 minutes later when Victor Amobi’s run into the box saw him pass the ball to Khosla, who scored his second of the evening with a neat finish into the bottom corner.

Vanlalremkima added his first and DSK Shivajians’ fourth onto the scoresheet.

Arshdeep rushed out to nullify a quick dart into the box by Chettri but the right-back dinked the ball over the keeper. Though the initial effort was saved, the rebound was finished coolly by the DSK man.

However, proceedings soon took a tumble for the worse for the hosts. First, Amobi scored the third goal for the away side, when he latched onto a cross that Das and Kima in DSK’s defense missed. A cool and composed finish resulted in the Punjab-based side having their spirits raised.

Then in the 94th minute, they found the missing goal. With, quite literally the last kick of the game, a lofted pass into the box was controlled by Simranjeet Singh. DSK’s offside trap failed miserably, as the Minerva forward, first controlled well and then was left with the cheekiest of finishes to level his team on the scoreline, past a hapless Das.

It ended as an affair to remember for both these teams as their final bout in this season’s I-League. DSK end the season tentatively in 7th, while Minerva moves up to the ninth spot.