ISL 2017, Match 35: FC Pune City vs NorthEast United FC, Player Ratings
The Highlanders from NorthEast faced the Stallions in the Balewadi Sports complex today, with the match being the last piece of football both the teams would play in 2017. FC Pune City and NorthEast United are the only two teams who have not made the knockout stages of the tournament even once, and both the sides are desperate to do the same this season.
While Pune have arguably had the best of starts the ISL in their history, the story of NorthEast United are something like history repeating itself, with the team languishing at the 9th spot of the league having won just one game before the start of the game.
The match started on a bright note, as both the teams displayed an attacking brand of football, Marcinho the mercurial Brazilian made a brilliant solo run towards the Pune goal, but his shot was easily fisted away by Vishal Kaith, from which Pune started a brilliant counterattack.
Ashique Kuruniyan scored his first goal of the season from an Emiliano Alfaro cut back. After the goal was scored, NorthEast United started bombarding Pune with a flurry of attacks, but as usual, the strikers were poor in converting the chances they created.
Marcinho doubled Pune’s lead in the 28th minute through a wonder freekick and the goal came at a time when NEUFC were having a slight upper hand in the match. At halftime Pune were leading 3-0 as NorthEast gifted another goal.
Pune scored 2 more goals in the second half to add to NorthEast's woes as the home side ran away 5-0 winners over NorthEast United.
Here, we take a look at the player ratings from the game
FC Pune City
Vishal Kaith (8.5/10): Vishal kept Pune alive in the game in the first half, and it was his save that instigated the counter-attack which led to the first goal.
Sarthak Golui (7/10): Sarthak Golui had a good game as the right back. He was tested heavily during the inital stages of the game, and the Right back did very well to stand his ground and kept pressing the likes of Meitei into running the ball out of play.
Gurtej Singh (7/10): Gurtej was brilliant for most parts of the game, but was sloppy during some occasions which allowed the likes of Marcinho and Danilo to get past with him with relative ease. He also gave up possession to Northeast with some aimless long balls.
Rafa Lopez (8/10): Rafa Lopez was sublime, as he made some brilliant ball wining tackles, he denied the likes of Marcinho and Danilo much space to turn and shoot. He also covered for Fanai, Gurtez and Sarthak's mistakes.
L. Fanai (6.5/10): Fanai was the Pune defender who was beaten the most by the NEUFC wingers. Hakku and Lenn got the better of Fanai on a host of occasions but Fanai did help the Pune wingers going forward and his link up was also very good.
Marcos Trebar (7.5/10): Trebar was tasked to be the linkup between the defence and attack. He also provided a defensive screen for the defence and did both his duties with perfection.
Adil Khan (7.5/10): Adil Khan was given the job of doing the dirty work in midfield today, and he did that with a certain amount of authority and perfection. He was also rewarded for his hard-work with a goal as he tapped in a goal from 6 yards out in the dying moments of the match
Jonathan Lucca (7/10): Lucca was the main creative mastermind for Pune today, and he had a good game. Even though he was closely marked by Martin Diaz, he did a good job in taking Diaz out of the equation. His runs allowed Marcinho space to run into and it was that movement that kept the NEUFC defenders on their heels.
Ashique Kuruniyan (7.5/10): Scored his first ever ISL goal, and was a menace for the NEUFC defenders. His first touches, turns and passing were of sublime quality today. He also helped Sarthak out in defence.
Marcinho (9/10): Marcinho literally toyed around with the NorthEast defence as he seemed to play at a completely different level. HIs movements, passes and set pieces all caused problems a plenty for the Northeast defence. His free kick today was also world class.
Emiliano Alfaro (6.5/10): Alfaro had a quiet game of sorts, and it really sounds astonishing that the team’s main striker had a quiet game despite the team scoring 5. Despite not getting on the scoresheet, he set up Ashique for the first goal, and his runs and the way he closed down the NEUFC defenders was really praise worthy.