Air India 2-2 Pune FC: An Entertaining Draw At The Balewadi Sports Complex

Pune FC came back from being two goals down to draw 2-2 with Air India in an I-League encounter at the Balewadi stadium in Pune on Sunday.

Ezeh Henry put the Mumbai side ahead with a peach of a finish in the 14^th minute while Takayuki Omi added to Air India’s advantage in the 62^nd minute. S. Venkatesh’s goal in the 76^th minute sparked hope of a comeback by the Red Lizards and Chika Wali snatched an equaliser deep into injury time for the Pune-based side.

Air India started with Sandesh Gadkari as he faced his former side while Derrick Pereira decided to drop Jeje Lalpekhlua in favour of Mandjou Keita upfront.

It was Pune FC who started the brighter of the two teams from kickoff, as they stretched Air India on the wings and put in a few threatening balls into the box, but they just evaded Subash Singh and Keita upfront.

However it was Santosh Kashyap’s side took the lead as Ezeh Henry unleashed a terrific strike from outside the box to find the back of the net with Abhra Mondal beaten all ends up in the 14^th minute.

Pune FC tried to reply back immediately, but the ball refused to fall kindly for Subash and Izumi Arata in the box as the Red Lizards enjoyed huge periods of possession.

Takayuki Omi and Gadkari were guilty of missing a chance each from inside the box as their snapshots went over the bar.

As the half progressed, Air India started showing more imagination in attack and it almost paid dividends as Gadkari saw his looping header come off the cross-bar, much to the agony of the staff and players of the Airmen,

Pune FC should have ended their half on a better note when Subash Singh failed to take advantage of a slip in Air India’s defence as he shot wide when he should have at least tested the keeper.

Keita then thought he had succeeded in nodding in the equaliser, but the linesman’s flag was raised.

That proved to be the last chance of the half, as Pune FC headed into the break with their unbeaten streak under considerable danger.

The second half was much scrappier at the beginning, as both teams failed to show any kind of composure on the ball.

Jeje came in for Karma Tsewang and soon afterwards, Lester had the first real chance of the half, but his shot was wayward and did not trouble Pawan Kumar in goal.

Pune FC soon started dominating possession and with three players upfront they created some problems for Air India’s backline too.

Gadkari then had the chance to put the hosts further ahead but he somehow missed from point-blank range. He somewhat made amends for the miss, as Air India caught Pune FC on the counter and although Gadkari’s scuffed shot was saved by Mondal, Takayuki Omi was following up and tapped the ball into an empty net to put Kashyap’s side up by two goals in the 62^nd minute.

The Red Lizards afternoon went from bad to worse when Jeje was clattered by the keeper in the box and had to come off injured with Maninder Singh replacing him.

Keita then went close with a free-kick just outside the box, but a goal continued to elude Derrick Pereira’s side.

It was through S. Venkatesh’s driving run into the box and a scrappy finish at the end of it, which bought them back into the tie in the 76^th minute. The goal galvanised Pune FC into action as Arata then tried his luck from distance, but his shot went just over the bar.

In the last ten minutes, Pune FC attacked with vigour, but it seemed they would go back empty handed, until Chika Wali popped up with a fine header which found the back of the net, deep into the injury time to spark wild celebrations.

That proved to be the last piece of notable action in the game as the referee blew the whistle to end a very entertaining game with end-to-end action that saw Pune FC extend their unbeaten streak to ten games and go level on points with Mohun Bagan in the league table.

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