Air India, Sporting win

Not until Izumi Arata’s strike in the 48th minute could Pune FC stand up to their opponents. Despite being pedestrian in the first half, the I-League newcomers however lifted their game in the second only to finish on the wrong side of a 1-2 scoreline, reports Somshuvra Laha.

Updated on: Aug 31, 2009, 24:33:41 IST

Hindustan Times | By Somshuvra Laha, Kolkata

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Not until Izumi Arata’s strike in the 48th minute could Pune FC stand up to their opponents. Despite being pedestrian in the first half, the I-League newcomers however lifted their game in the second only to finish on the wrong side of a 1-2 scoreline.

In Sunday’s IFA Shield match at Howrah Municipal Stadium, Nigerian Dbuisi Opara impressed for Air India, stifling the Pune FC defence with his sudden dashes and using his height in aerial balls. With the dependable Soccor Velho and Tapan Maity operating in the wings, there were many opportunities for striker.

He capitalised on one of those when Maity's perfectly floated centre from the left found him unmarked. Pune custodian N Balaji fumbled to gather Opara's header and the ensuing skirmish to clear the ball saw the ball roll over the goalline.

Md Sporting win

Mohammedan Sporting beat Shillong's Lajong FC 1-0 thanks to Dipendu Biswas's 14th-minute strike.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Somshuvra Laha
Somshuvra Laha is a sports journalist with over 11 years' experience writing on cricket, football and other sports. He has covered the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, the 2016 ICC World Twenty20, cricket tours of South Africa, West Indies and Bangladesh and the 2010 Commonwealth Games for Hindustan Times.Read More

Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Durand Cup Final Live. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.