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FC Pune City kept the pressure and found a timely equaliser to hold ATK in a crucial match on Sunday.
Robin Singh scored his first ISL goal in 14 months to deny ATK a much-deserved win at the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune.
It was a must-win match for both the team. FC Pune City had a chance to challenge for the top-four position. ATK had a chance to sniff on Jamshedpur FC and NorthEast United FC’s neck with a win.
Their wishes remain unfulfilled as both Pune and ATK will now have to overcome some stiff challenges in order to have any chance for knock-out qualification.
John Johnson deflected Marko Stankovic’s shot in his own net to break the deadlock. Jayesh Rane equalised with a superb curling effort to leave it all square in the first half.
Diego Carlos handled the ball within the box while making a challenge to Everton Santos and Edu Garcia converted from the spot to give the lead to ATK. Pune’s equaliser came though Robin Singh in the 76th minute who scored from a corner against his former employers.
Also See: ISL Schedule I ISL Points Table I ISL Results
#5 Unimpressive Johnson scores own goal
If you name most consistent players in this ATK team, John Johnson would surely make into the list.
Since changing colour before this season, Johnson has been showing the same talent. He is one of the main reasons why ATK looks so solid as far as their defence is concerned.
It was rare off day for Johnson against FC Pune City. All the match, he never looked confident on the pitch. He was taking too much time while clearing the ball and making challenges to the opponents. Thanks to Arnab Mondal, more damage hasn’t happened.
Marko Stankovic’s shot was innocuous and it would have been an easy pick for Arindan, who was brilliant on Sunday.
The ball may have gone off the target. But Johnson, while clearing the ball, ensured it finds the back of the net, leaving Arindam the other way.
It summed up his evening. But a player like him would not take much time to forget everything and come afresh in the next match.
#4 Robin Singh scores first ISL goal after 14 months
The other night we saw Indian first choice striker Jeje Lalpekhlua ending his goal drought. On Sunday, it was time for another Indian striker, Robin Singh, to break his drought, which was much longer than Jeje.
The last time Robin scored in an ISL game was in December 2017, against Mumbai City FC. He changed colours and shifted to FC Pune City but the goal was not coming. The Stallions season was marred by a string of losses at the start.
Without suspended Marcelinho and an injured Iain Hume, the responsibility was on Robin to score regularly and keep Pune in the competition. However, the Punjab-born failed to do that.
Irrespective of his performances, he got a chance in almost every match. He earned the trust of previous coach Miguel Angel Portugal and now under Phil Brown, he is featuring in the team regularly.
The goal was too late for Pune as they will now need to pull off some upsets to have any chance for the knock-outs.
#3 Taking FC Pune City lightly in the second half cost ATK
With three points being their only aim before taking the field, ATK wanted to dominate the home side from the very first minute.
They did that, even though conceding a goal, they never looked frightened to their opponents. An equaliser was about to come and thanks to the superb strike from Jayesh Rane, ATK made it all square.
ATK was playing with a purpose in the first half. They were creating chances with the short passes and Edu Garcia and Manuel Lanzarote was making all the hard work in the middle. Garcia hit the woodwork in the 11th minute to send a warning to Pune.
ATK should have shown the same approach in the second half as well. Instead, they concentrated more on attacking left the defence open.
Robin was left unmarked when he scored the goal and that summed up the misery that ATK endured later in the game.
#2 Marcelinho makes another impactful performance to influence results
Marcelinho has suddenly found his old touch in the later stage of the competition. The Brazilian has found the net four times to help Pune City register three successive wins, their first in the competition.
Though Marcelinho failed to find the net this time, he definitely made an impact throughout the game. He was ever present figure the match and was the main man behind FC Pune City’s every attack.
He took nine shots, four of which was on target. In fact, every time he would get the ball in the shooting zone, Marcelinho was trying to test the goalkeeper. He was denied at least thrice by ATK goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya,
Robin Singh may have scored the equaliser but the credit for the goal should go to Marcelinho.
The delivery from a corner was excellent and all Robin had to do was to place it in the right area and he did that perfectly.
#1 Knock-out berth almost impossible for ATK
All ATK needed coming into this match was not less than three points, to keep up the fight for the top-four spots.
However, it didn’t come. As a result, ATK will now need to get at least seven points from their remaining three matches to have any chance to finish within the top four positions. They will also need to keep an eye on others.
From a neutral perspective, it’s almost impossible. They may get a win against Delhi Dynamos in their last match. But before that, they will have to face FC Goa and Mumbai City FC, the second and third-placed teams in the table respectively as of now.
It’s never easy to block Ferran Corominas in an away match and ATK will need to blaze all the guns.
The task will not be easier against FC Mumbai City also. Both Goa and Mumbai eye a win against ATK to secure their respective places.
