I-League 2nd Divison: FC Pune City, Delhi United play out exciting draw
Match 1: Langsning FC 5-0 Jamshedpur FC (Reserves) (May 1)
Meghalayan club Langsning FC climbed to the top of the standings in the Group C of the I-League 2nd Division as they outclassed their opponents Jamshedpur FC (Reserves) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong, Meghalaya.
Kitboklang Pale was on target early in the eighth minute for the Northeast side scoring after good pressure from the get-go from the home side.
Jamshedpur FC struggled to contain Langsning's free-flowing football and made two changes in the first half of the match.
However, Pale scored again in the added time of the first half to make it 2-0 at the break for Langsning FC.
The second half began on a pretty similar note with Langsning looking in control of the tempo of the game.
They added their third goal when Dibinroy Nongspung got his name on the scoresheet with a well-taken effort. Pale got his hat-trick goal just after the hour mark finishing a Man of the Match performance. Donborlang Nongkynrih further added to Jamshedpur FC's misery when he scored in the 89th minute to make it 5-0 for the Shillong club.
Langsning FC are atop the Group C standings with 15 points from nine matches, whereas Jamshedpur FC (Reserves) lie in the fifth spot with eight points from the same number of matches.
Match 2: Kerala Blasters FC (Reserves) 2-1 FC Goa (Reserves) (May 1)
Group B action from the 2nd Division saw reserve sides of two Indian Super League franchises clash as Kerala Blasters FC hosted the youngsters from FC Goa at the Panampally Ground.
The match began on an eventful note as Loken Meiteti, who had featured for the Blasters in the ISL opened the scoring in the 8th minute of the match giving Kerala an early lead.
The rest of the first half was an evenly contested affair as FC Goa went all out for the equaliser and Kerala Blasters defended well. However, just before the half-time whistle, Hayden Hados Fernandes equalized for the Goan side. The two sides went into the break locked on even terms.
The second half was action-packed as the two sides went neck-to-neck in search of the winner. The two coaches played all their cards making all the substitutions to have an impact on the course of the game.
Just as the game looked all set to be headed for a draw, substitute Shahajas T, who had come on after the hour mark scored in the added time of the second half to clinch the win for the Kerala Blasters.
Kerala Blasters are third in the Group B standings with 15 points from eight matches, whereas FC Goa are fifth with just five points from their seven matches.
Match 3: Hindustan FC 2-1 Delhi Dynamos FC (Reserves) (May 1)
Two Delhi-based clubs competed in the Group A of the I-League 2nd Division as Hindustan FC hosted Delhi Dynamos FC at the Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi.
Hindustan FC were on an unbeaten run in the 2nd Division with an eight-match lossless run and began the match in good form taking control of proceedings in the middle of the pitch.
Their efforts, however, yielded no results as they found it tough to break past the Delhi Dynamos defence. Finally, in the added time of the first half, Hindustan FC took the lead through Thomyo L.shimray ending the first half with a solitary goal lead.
Delhi Dynamos made two changes early on in the second half and that paid dividends within minutes as Seiminmang Manchong, who had come on in the 57th minute got the equalizing goal for the ISL franchise's reserve side.
Hindustan FC, were unaffected by this goal and kept playing their own game and were soon rewarded for their persistence.
In the 81st minute of the match, Asifullah Khan got the winning goal for the Hindustan FC side and sealed the three points as they held on till the end of the ninety minutes.
Hindustan FC kept their lead intact at the top of the standings with 19 points from nine matches, whereas Delhi Dynamos FC have just five points from their seven matches so far.
Match 4: FC Pune City (Reserves) 3-3 Delhi United Football Club (May 2)
I-League 2nd Division action continued in the Group A as FC Pune City (Reserves) hosted Delhi United FC at the Pirangute Football Ground in Pune, Maharashtra.
FC Pune City began on the offensive and took an early lead through Ahmed Gani in the 11th minute of the match. The rest of the first half was evenly contested with chances being created at both ends of the pitch.
Towards the end of the first half, Delhi United FC scored the equalizing goal through Rungsing Muinao.
However, FC Pune City managed to snatch the lead within just three minutes as former Mohun Bagan winger Chesterpoul Lyngdoh scored in the fourth minute of the first half added time to make it 2-1 at halftime.
The second half began with the two sides making a change each in the lineup. Pune's Omkar More was on target just a couple of minutes before the hour mark as FC Pune City took a 3-1 lead in the match.
Delhi United were not in the mood to surrender the match and showed spirit and cut the lead down quickly to one when Kouame Konan Zacharie scored in the 64th minute.
Delhi continued to press FC Pune City and were rewarded for their drive when Arkwis Wanniang grabbed the equalizer just two minutes before full time to complete an incredible comeback.
FC Pune City (Reserves) are third in Group A with nine points from seven matches whereas Delhi United are one spot below in the fourth with seven points from as many matches.