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FC Pune City went back to winning ways with a slender 1-0 win over North East United in Guwahati. Marcelino scored the winner for the away side in the 86th minute in what really was a smash-and-grab goal for the Stallions.
With this win, Pune completed a double over North East this season and Marcelino also scored his fourth ever goal against the Highlanders.
On that note, let's discuss this game in further detail with the help of the major talking points that emerged from the match:
#5 North East dominate the first half
Despite the scoreboard reading a goalless draw at the break, it was the hosts who started the game brilliantly. North East were eager to get on the ball from the first minute and were recycling possession better than Pune. Barring one chance for Pune in the first 45 minutes, every other chance fell to the Highlanders.
North East created a number of half chances and were controlling the tempo of the game, especially on the right flank. Marcinho had a couple of decent chances in the first half while Doungel shot straight at Vishal Kaith once. North East United attempted 4 shots in the first half out of which 2 were on target.
#4 Cezario impresses on the night
With Doungel playing centrally, the Brazilian Cezario had a big role to play on the right flank. In the first half, almost all of the North East United's attacking work came from the right side. And the player at the forefront of every attack for the home side was Cezario. Every time the Brazilian had the ball in his feet, the Pune defenders looked a bit panicky.
The forward often found space on the right side, ran brilliantly in the challenges and created a number of chances for the side. Cezario was often left as the sole attacker inside Pune's box which led him to pass backwards on numerous occasions. Though his final ball failed him a couple of times, it was Cezario who was North East United's best player in the first half.
#3 Emiliano Alfaro's away troubles continue
The Uruguayan striker is FC Pune City's joint top scorer this season with 7 goals. But worryingly for Alfaro and the Stallions, only two of them have come away from Pune. He has not scored in 3 of the 5 away games that Pune played before the game against the Highlanders.
Against North East, Alfaro worked tirelessly for the team, was alert in and around the box and had a decent link-up play with his fellow teammates. But the much-needed goal still deserted him.
It needs to be noted that Alfaro had the best chance of the first half when a Nirmal Chhetri's horrible back pass fell straight to the Uruguayan who decided to went for the jugular and attempted a shot on the volley. He missed and had he taken a touch there, Alfaro would have scored in the first half and ended his away game voodoo.
#2 Martin Diaz's substitution changed the game for North East
Diaz, playing as a defensive midfielder was providing the perfect shielding effect for his back four. FC Pune City were finding it tough to break down North East United's defence and along with the backline, Diaz did a lot of the dirty work which was necessary for the home side shutting shop against one of the most entertaining sides of the ISL.
But Diaz was taken off in the 72nd minute in place of Maic Sema and subsequently, North East lost that control in midfield. The centre-back pairing of Jose Goncalves and Sambinha were badly exposed by the midfield during Marcelino's winner and had Diaz been present on the field, the Highlanders might have left the field with one point in the bag.
#1 A smash and grab win for FC Pune City
There are games when a team does not play well but still keep themselves in the hunt and strike through a single chance in 90 minutes. A top team finds a way to bag three points even on their bad days. FC Pune City did exactly that against North East United.
The Stallions were poor for large durations of the game. Lacking cohesion and poor composure in the final third meant that Pune were looking second best against North East. But one substitution and one chance changed the complexion of the match.
Marko Stankovic arrived and made an instant impact from playing in midfield. He provided the assist for Marcelino who duly converted in a one on one situation. With this win, FC Pune City are now second on the table with 25 points and games like these prove why the Stallions deserve to be nearer to the summit of the league standings.
