Elite Division: RBI withstand late assault to see off ten-man Soccer XI

by FC Admin March 9, 2019

Mumbai, March 9, 2019: In what was a through professional performance RBI staved off a late assault from ten-man Soccer XI and clinched a 3-2 win at the Neville D’Souza Ground on Saturday.

Prabhakar Shanmugam’s 12th minute strike coupled with Sachin Narsappa and Aaron Machado’s goals in the 54th and 55th minutes helped RBI close off their league engagements on a positive note.

Chetan Jagnade and Nehal Desane did reduce arrears for Soccer XI with goals in the 56th and 69th minutes respectively but it was a bit too much for them in the end.

RBI’s main man Rolfred Coutinho didn’t play thanks to a suspension but they still did enough to close out the game within the hour mark. Shanmugam cleverly broke past the off side trap before slotting it past the on rushing goalkeeper while Narsappa’s goal was a textbook header off a corner.

Machado later slammed home an unstoppable shot to put the game beyond Soccer XI’s reach. It was game over within the hour mark and RBI was cruising home with the three points! But there was more drama as Jagdane and Desane sparked off a mini revival for Soccer XI.

If Jagdane’s effort was a classic smash and grab them Desane ran all of 30 yards from the left wing and slammed home to reduce the deficit. The score was 3-2 and Soccer XI suddenly raised visions of a comeback!

But all those efforts went to waste when Sachin Shrivastav was given his marching orders in the 85th minute which effectively ended any hope of salvaging at least a draw. A man down and with only five minutes to go…it was curtains for Soccer XI! They did have a few chances in the end but RBI held firm to close out the game at 3-2.

If it weren’t for that sending off Soccer XI still would’ve had a fair chance to salvage a point. It was a classic case of what may have been for Soccer XI in the end! RBI’s experience helped them clinch the three points despite missing their talisman skipper.

Soccer XI on the other hand looked jaded and out of ideas and never were really in the game prior to their second half goal burst.

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