RCF kicked off the match starting from right to left. But the first build up of the game was from Western Railways in the 2nd minute when number 7 Anil Pawar fired his shot over the top. At the other end there was a corner for RCF which was taken poorly, a chance wasted. The breakthrough came in the 7th minute when there was a link up between number 29 Saheb Singh and number 14 Clayton D’Souza with Saheb putting a wonderful cross into the box from the right. And it was numbner 10 Ravikant Naidu who timed his run perfectly well slotting home in the right bottom corner giving Western Railways the lead. It became an end to end game after the goal but both teams looked shaky in defense. RCF got yet another freekick which was taken deep into the box only for the ball to be cut back over the top allowing W.Rly to clear, another chance wasted. The match witnessed a rise in the tempo as RCF saw some possession in their favour onnly to register 1 shot on target in the first half. W.Rlys had 6-7 shots on target. At half time Western Railways lead 1-0.

The second half saw RCF come out a rejuvanated team. They were quick to pounce on loose balls and start counter attacks. The equalizer came in the 49th minute just four minutes into the second half. RCF won a freekick at the edge of the box which was taken exceptionally well by number 14 Kenneth Dessena firing home into the right top corner. 1-1 GAME ON!! From then on both teams were really strong in the middle of the park playing a pressing game not allowing the opposition any time on the ball. In the 4 minutes that followed the equalizer RCF had 3-4 chances which were blocked by the W.Railways defenders. In the 61st minute Kenneth Dessena took a brilliant shot at goal only for the keeper to palm it over the top keeping the score 1-1. There was dip in the tempo of the game for a period of 15 minutes. Any chance of a winner on this was a straight no with both teams shutting out each other in front of goal.

At fulltime the game ended 1-1 with both teams sharing a point. A game which could have gone the way of Western Railways shifted on the side of RCF which later ended in a 1-1 draw. Both teams would be disappointed at not taking their chances to score the winner.

The post RCF and Western Railways share the spoils in a 1-1 draw appeared first on Football Counter.

RCF were enjoying home advantage as they got quite a lot of support from their fans gathered at RCF Sports Club. But on the field, it was an even battle with few chances for either side in the first quarter of the game as no side was able to get a clear spell of dominance.

But the deadlock was broken in the 29th minute when Linekar Machado fired Western Railways into the lead much to the displeasure of the gathered home support. The goal seemed to wake RCF up as there was a distinct urgency in their game after going behind.

RCF got stronger as the half time whistle approached, putting pressure on the Western Railways backline drawing a series of corners. Western Railways defence finally gave way in third minute of first half stoppage time when Ubaid Ansari’s brilliant through ball found Raju Meetei who showed great composure to beat the goalkeeper and finish to level the scores.

That was the last action of the first half and the scoreline was a fair reflection of the half.

Second half started with Western Railways on the front foot when Somi P.T played in Anil Pawar whose shot needed intervention and it came from the RCF defender. Six minutes later RCF keeper Narendra was forced into action by Anil Pawar through a well taken free kick which threatened to go in at the far post looping over the keeper’s head.

As RCF got through the initial hick ups, the game entered a lean period wherein neither side looked like scoring and hardly threatened as the tournament’s first penalty shoot out was looking likely.

RCF made their first substitution as they brought on Maimilungboy who replaced Ashish Pawaskar in the 77th minute, and the substitute made an instant impact who broke free of the Western Railways defence only to shoot wide. Great work by the youngster to create the opening, but it should have been put away as the way the game was going, there weren’t going to be a lot of chances to grab the winner.

A minute later Anil Pawar does well again to earn a free kick for the Western Railways, but he shot over. Four minutes later RCF’s Raju Meetei brilliantly controlled a long ball, cut in and force a top save from the Western Railways keeper. Good play from the RCF scorer.

Maimilungboy’s arrival had blown much needed energy into hosts RCF as they were seeing more of the ball and threatening a lot more than before. Striker Raju Meetei came close a minute from time when his long range effort went wide of the goal.

But in the dying seconds of regulation time at the end of the second half, Ubaid Anasari’s cracking half volley flew past Nisarullah Khan to send the home fans into delirium. It was an emphatic display of technique from RCF’s No. 20 as his goal was worthy of winning any game and could easily be the goal of the tournament so far.

RCF held on for the remaining two stoppage time minutes as they got through to the semi-finals of the 108th Nadkarni Cup. RCF edged what was a tight game but their superior finishing got them over the line.

RCF will face winners of Companerose and ONGC in the semi final on 3rd December.

The post Hosts RCF derail Western Railways to make the Nadkarni Cup Semis appeared first on Football Counter.