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This was a damp squib after the madness from Fatorda last night. Just restoring normalcy to the league. This should be the trend in the remaining two games as there is a lot riding on those games.
A goalless draw on a day when ATK, especially Juan Belencoso should have scored at least four. Antonio Habas will consider himself extremely lucky that his side have gotten a point on his return to Kolkata. Kolkata are through but will finish no higher than third, realistically. They will need Mumbai to beat Delhi by nine goals to go second.
Delhi play Mumbai tomorrow in a top-of-the-table decider, before the big one on Sunday to see which one of Kerala Blasters and NorthEast United qualify for the semifinal. A draw will do for Kerala while NorthEast have to win in Kochi.
For now, Kolkata will be happy to have reached their first target, to qualify for the semifinal.
PEEEEPP!!
FULL-TIME: KOLKATA 0-0 PUNE
90+3' CHANCE!
Big big chance for Kolkata! Hume this time. His header from Ruidas's cross is high.
90+2' There is nothing specific materializing for either side here. Kolkata are trying hard, but this is fizzling out to a draw.
THREE MINUTES OF ADDED TIME
The last 15-20 minutes have been all Kolkata.
88' The corner is taken short to Hume who plays it to the back-post to Belencoso, who heads it wide. It would not have counted anyway as Belencoso had fouled Eduardo.
87' Kolkata corner!
Hume wins the huge punt forward from Tiri and Pearson plays it wide Ruidas. Ravanan hacks the youngster's cross out for a corner.
85' Again, Kolkata miss out. Lara plays Bikramjit in, but his pass into the box is blocked by Eduardo. Kolkata throw-in.
Both sides have now made all their three substitutions after Arata Izumi replaced Sanju Pradhan for Pune.
ANOTHER ATK CHANGE
Bikramjit Singh replaces Bidyananda Singh.
SUBSTITUTION.
IAIN HUME REPLACES OFENTSE NATO. The Rabindra Sarobar Stadium goes wild.
81' ANOTHER CHANCE!
Keegan tries a shot but it is dragged wide towards Bidyananda. He is one-on-one with Arindam but the Pune goalie closes him down quickly. GOAL KICK.
78' ANOTHER MISS FROM BELENCOSO!
Dani Mallo sets Javi Lara away for the counter-attack, the Spaniard finds Pearson. The Scot teases Rahul before firing a fierce strike towards goal from the edge of the area. Arindam palms it away to Belencoso who misses by a huge margin, from two yards out.
77' Prabir, who is having a wonderful game, is forced to concede a corner. The cross pinballs and ATK clear
75' And it is a better delivery!
And Belencoso has missed another chance. It was a perfect delivery and the Spanish striker's header fizzles wide of goal. Ruidas recovers it, but his cross is woefully over-hit.
Needs a better delivery from Javi Lara.
Corner for Kolkata!
Prabir wins the corner, playing it off Narayan Das.
SUBSTITUTION.
Stephen Pearson replaces Jewel Raja Shaikh. The Scot has scored in both of ATK's last two games.
73' UFFFF SANJU!!
The corner falls to the little midfielder and he unleashes one towards the top corner. Just over Dani Mallo's goal!
72' And the Mali international nearly scores with his first touch!
He turned Tiri and got on his left foot and unleashed one towards the bottom corner! Dani Mallo gets down well to turn it around for a corner.
SUBSTITUTION.
And that is his last contribution. Momar N'Doye has been replaced by Dramane Traore.
71' Yellow card for N'Doye
Again, the Senegalese winger gets into a good position. Again, he makes a wrong decision. Again, he fouls Prabir. The referee has had enough.
As good as the two young ATK wingers were in the first half, Bidyananda and Ruidas have been quiet in the second period.
69' Once again, awful decision-making from Pune. Jonatan Lucca finds himself in space 25 yards from goal and as has been the norm today, the shot is high.
68' Lara beats Bheke beautifully after the full-back committed himself to the challenge. He plays it through to Ruidas but the cross is blocked.
Still goalless here but Pune are playing much better since the breather.
64' N'Doye!
Once again, a wrong decision. He had better options to pick but the Senegalese decides to strike on goal, but it doesn't trouble Dani Mallo as the Spanish 'keeper gathers easily.
63' Pune go forward with Pitu. The substitute covers a large distance with the ball and frees N'Doye on the left-side. It is once again selfish from the winger, as he tries to beat too many defenders when he could have put the ball in first time.
62' Kolkata probe as they pass the ball from side to side. There is nothing that comes of it though as Bidyananda's chest-down towards Prabir goes out of play.
60' A lovely flick by Belencoso sets Ruidas away on the left-hand side but the youngster cannot keep the ball in play. Pune goal kick.
SUBSTITUTION.
Pitu replaces Lenny Rodrigues. Lenny has not made any impact on the game here. Disappointing.
56' Kolkata hit straight back
Javi Lara leads the counter-attack and drives forward. He plays the ball down the left hand side, where Belencoso's fake lets it run to Ruidas. The youngster's cross is claimed nicely by Arindam, with Belencoso lurking.
55' TWO CHANCES IN QUICK SUCCESSION!
The corner from Jonatan Lucca finds Rahul Bheke on the back post, he nearly squeezed it in. Cleared for a corner. Sanju takes that one and finds Anibal free in the middle of the six-yard box. His header is high.
54' Corner for Pune
N'Doye dwells on it for too long. Shaikh can put it out for a corner, N'Doye should have put it across goal much earlier, there were Pune bodies in the box.
52' BELENCOSO MISSES ANOTHER ONE!
Another sitter! He could have had a hat-trick by now. This is a lovely cross-field ball for Bidyananda. The young man does brilliantly to put it across the face of goal first time, but Belencoso does not make any contact with his header.
51' Pune are seeing more of the ball than the first half, but Kolkata are well-organized and the visitors cannot do much with their possession.
The ISL's top-scorer, Iain Hume is warming up for ATK here.
Dani Mallo has not had a save to make just yet.
First sight of goal in the second half
Lenny gets the ball around 30 yards from goal, but like almost all of Pune's shots today, it is high and wide.
The ball is see-sawing between the goalkeepers. The midfields are being bypassed at the start of the second half here.
SECOND HALF IS UNDERWAY!
Jonatan Lucca sets the second half off.
Kolkata could get there. Not Pune.
More incentive for the Kerala Blasters to beat NorthEast on Sunday. They could get to play the final in front of the adoring "Yellow Sea" if they get that far.
OFFICIAL: The home of @sachin_rt's @KeralaBlasters, Kochi, will host the #HeroISL 2016 final! https://t.co/ssjn0Ykoho#LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/8TTl8sZ8Hq
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) December 2, 2016
Narayan Das has had a tough time against Bidyananda, and it has not been different for Rahul Bheke on the other side.
PEEEEPP!!
HALF-TIME: Kolkata 0-0 Pune
The home side have had the better chances, despite all the changes that they have made. This suits Kolkata very nicely. A draw ensures qualification, but a win could ensure a top two spot. Molina will especially be impressed by the young wingers, Ruidas and Bidyananda. He has got enough big options on the bench to turn this into a win.
For Habas, it has not been anywhere close to a happy homecoming. Pune have been outplayed in all facets of the game.
High, wide, not very handsome from Jewel Raja!
Prabir drives forward brilliantly and plays it to Bidyananda whose pull-back reaches Shaikh. Bad shot.
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Until tomorrow night, this is Aaditya Narayan signing off. Cheers!