Full-Time Aizawl FC 0-0 Sporting Goa
90+3’: Freekick just outside the box for Aizawl. It’ll be crazy if they score now. David slams it staright at the wall.
90+1’: Jahar Das will be happy if it stays this way. Especially with the away goals rule introduced.
90’: Three minutes added.
87’: Another clash of heads in the middle. Passi involved again. Ref signals for treatment.
86’: Final Substitution for Aizawl. Yuta Kinowaki Out. Malsawmtluanga In
85’: GREAT CHANCE for Victorino. Nicholas plays a through-ball, Victorino collects and when he is about to shoot, put off by the Aizawl defense and finally thwarted by the GK.
84’: A great ball in for Nicholas, but his header leaves a lot to be desired.
80’: WHAT AN EFFORT by David. WHAT A STOP from Arindam. Pushes it out for a corner. Best passage of the game so far.
76’: Aizawl should cry themselves to sleep tonight if they lose this one. They are creating but not finishing.
74’: Substitution for Sporting. Victorino in. Seriton out.
73’: Another great chance for Aizawl, cross into the box for Seriton, headed over.
70’: Joel Sunday still looks lively, makes a chance for himself, shoots on the side-net.
68’: Seriton looks to be struggling, seems to have hurt his hamstring.
66’: The pace of the game has died down somehow, players getting tired perhaps?
62’ : Kinowaki with a speculative effort from outside the box. Goes wide.
60’: Albert straight away influencing place. Receiving the ball from Sunday, going past the Sporting LB and crossing well. Well defended by Sporting.
59’: Substitution for Aizawl. Lalramzuava Khiangte Out. Albert Zohmingmawia In.
58’: Talking about pops from a distance, here is one from Passi, straight to the GK.
55’: Its a midfield game at the moment and both teams have been more or less restricted to long range shots.
53’: WHAT A MISS. It was easier to score than miss. Arindam the Sporting Goalkeeper is caught under the ball from a wide freekick by David, and Chigozie heads wide. The best chance of the game so far.
50’: Chance for Sporting. Perfect position for a free kick to get the ball up and dow. It is important that they test the goalkeeper here.
47’: Seriton races after the ball but Soram manages to punch it away to safety.
45’: What a start to the second half. Aizawl with Sunday on the ball. Tries an absolutely audacious chipped effort from 40 yards out.
It’s been an even half. Chances for both sides. Sporting will be looking to get an away goal in the second half.
45+2’: The Ref blows the whistle for half-time.
45+1’: The Freekick is taken square by Sporting. Weak attempt to pass. Aizawl start to break. Bad final ball. Goes out of play.
45’: Two minutes added. Sporting with a free-kick at a promising position.
43’: Aizawl pumping the pressure. Well held by the resolute Sporting Defense, though.
41’: That change somehow doesn’t make sense. I thought Borges was quite bright. He didn’t look injured as well. Is Jahar Das on the phone with LvG?
40’: First Substitution for Aizawl. Rowllin Borges Out. Ndidi Chukwama Out
38’: Chance for Aizawl. Lalmuankima can’t get right connection on the ball, trickles into the GK’s hand.
33’: Borjes has been a beast in the middle, has had Sunday in his back pocket.
32’: Freekick for Aizawl. Local boy David to take it. Comes to nothing at the end.
29’ : Clash of heads between Passi and Lalchhawnkima. Looks bad.
28’ : What a lovely backdrop to the stadium. The stadium surely looks like a great place to play football, especially with the passionate support afforded to Aizawl.
27’ : Sunday turns, takes a wild shot. Composure my friend. Composure.
26’: Corner for Aizawl, great ball in, just overhit. There were players lurking on the back post.
24’ : A ball into the box by Aizawl, no one there to take the opportunity.
23’ : Finally Sporting having some control of the ball. Seems like they’re listening to my advice.
21’ : Aizawl looking dangerous here. Goa will need to get some possession to stem the flow for the Home Team.
19’: Low cross from the right after some neat build-up for Aizawl. Arindam clears awkwardly. The Sporting goalkeeper hasn’t had the best of games till now.
16’: Corner for Sporting. Taken by Wadoo, nothing comes off it.
14’: This has been a very even game till now, and dare I say, slightly edged by Aizawl.
12’: Corner for Sporting. GREAT CHANCE for Wadoo, fails to head the ball towards the goal.
10’: Sunday is looking lively here. He attempts to curl one in from a distance, goes behind for a corner.
8’ : Corner for Aizawl, terrible delivery from the left winger. The rebound goes behind for another corner. Nothing comes off that as well.
5’: Arindam almost makes a mess of a wayward cross. That would have been embarrassing.
3’: It has been a frantic start to the game. Both teams looking to move fast.
2’ : Goa with a great chance. Ganesh Thakur with a run on the left tries to beat the GK on the far post. Just misses.
1’ : Aizawl on the front foot straight away, ball into the box, cleared easily by the Sporting Defense.
0’ : Aizawl in red, and Sporting in White.
The CONFIRMED PLAYING 11 are:
Aizawl FC and Sporting Goa, lock horns in the Second Semi-Final of the Hero Federation Cup 2016. The first leg of this particular Semi-Final will be played in the North-East at the home of the minnows Aizawl. Aizawl qualified to the Semi-Finals beating Bengaluru FC the current I-League champions. For a club of Aizawl’s stature, it’s a massive victory. Sporting Goa, on the other hand, overcame Mumbai FC in a closely fought encounter between the two sides. Mateus Costa's side are now unbeaten in 6 games in all competitions.
Aizawl’s victory in the last round was no fluke as they outplayed a very capable Bengaluru side. Before the semi-final, Aizawl’s manager Jahar Das said "Playing the first leg away from home has its advantages and disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage is that if we concede one goal, it becomes two goals in effect. But we have a good record at home and we are looking to be as focused as possible." Expect the men from the North-East to be formidable opponents.
Their in-form opponents have relied on their defensive solidarity throughout the season. Coach Mateus Costa isn’t taking the North-East team lightly and had this to say “Yes of course, it is one of the biggest games of the season. We have done well to get here and now want to stay focused on the task at hand. The North-Eastern sides play very well at home as we saw in the I-League and our aim is to get something out of the first leg. A win will be a big boost,”.
Sporting hasn't lost to Aizawl in any of the two fixtures between the sides, and that potentially gives them a psychological edge going forward into the two legs. The probable lineups for the two teams are as follows:
Aizawl FC (4-4-2): Soram Poirei(GK), Ricky Lallawmawma, Lalruathara, Lalchawnkima, Emanuel Chigozie; Albert Zohmingmawia, David Lalrinmuana, Yuta Kinowaki, Vanlalremdika; Alfred Jaryan, Joel Sunday.
Sporting Goa (4-2-2-1-1): Arindam Bhattacharya(GK), Fulganco Cardozo, Subasish Bose, Loveday, Clemente Joseph; Pratesh Shirodkar, Rowllin Borges; Nicholas Fernandes, Ganesh Thakur; Densill Theobald; Passi;
Catch the game live at 13:00 hours from the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Aizawl.
