Late Heroics Fall Short as Ambernath United Atlanta FC Succumbs to United SC in Seven-Goal Battle

by Chittu Shetty May 21, 2023

In a highly dramatic and intense encounter, United SC emerged victorious with a narrow 4-3 win over Ambernath United Atlanta FC in the final round of the Hero 2nd Division.

The match, filled with thrilling moments and late drama, kept the spectators on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.

The game kicked off with United SC showing early intent as Rahul Roy found himself with space just outside the box in the 2nd minute. His powerful shot struck the crossbar, denying United SC an early lead. Ambernath United Atlanta FC quickly responded in the 12th minute, with Ashley Koli curling in a shot from the edge of the box that rattled off the crossbar, leaving both sides eager for an opening goal.

Ambernath United Atlanta FC continued to press forward, creating opportunities. In the 19th minute, Aaron D’Costa delivered a cross from the wing, expertly met by Arif Shaikh, whose first-time effort was guided goal bound by skipper Himanshu Patil only to be denied by an acrobatic save from United SC goalkeeper Sourav Samanta, keeping the scoreline level.

However, it was United SC who broke the deadlock in the 38th minute. Tarak Hembram seized the ball near the halfway line, drove forward, and unleashed a dipping shot from outside the box that found the back of the net, putting United SC ahead 1-0.

The second half saw both teams trading blows, determined to seize control of the game. It was Ambernath United Atlanta FC who struck next in the 50th minute when Aaron D’Costa surged forward on the wings and delivered a precise cross near the near post. Ashley Koli met the cross with a first-time strike, equalizing the scoreline at 1-1.

However, United SC quickly responded in the 57th minute. Jiten Murmu played a perfectly weighted through ball, releasing Rahul Roy, who beat the offside trap and calmly slotted the ball over the goalkeeper to restore United SC’s lead, making it 2-1.

United SC extended their advantage in the 63rd minute when Tarak Hembram drove into the box and sent in a low cross that deflected off Ambernath United Atlanta FC defender Tejas Raut and into the net for an unfortunate own goal, giving United SC a commanding 3-1 lead.

As the match entered injury time, the game took an extraordinary turn. In the 92nd minute, Mandeep Multani pulled one back for Ambernath United Atlanta FC with a low shot to the left of the goalkeeper, reigniting hopes of a comeback at 3-2.

Just a minute later, Ambernath United Atlanta FC had a golden opportunity to equalize in a chaotic goalmouth scramble. However, United SC managed to clear the ball and launch a counter-attack. Subrata Murmur unleashed a powerful shot from 30 yards out, finding the net to extend United SC’s lead to 4-2 and seemingly sealing the game.

Ambernath United Atlanta FC displayed resilience and fought until the very end. In the 97th minute, captain Himanshu Patil headed in a goal, narrowing the deficit to 4-3. However, time ran out for Ambernath United Atlanta FC as the final whistle blew, confirming a hard-fought defeat.

Despite the loss, Ambernath United Atlanta FC currently sits in 2nd place in the Final Round table and requires a draw in their final league game against Delhi FC to secure qualification for the Hero I-League. In the other match, Shillong Lajong secured their I-League qualification with a 2-1 victory over Bengaluru United

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