FC Pune City finally vanquished their woes at home as they handed Atletico de Kolkata their second defeat in the space of three games. The win was their first at home in 7 attempts and the first home win under Antonio Habas in this season’s ISL.
A goal four minutes to half time by Eduardo Ferreira helped put the hosts in front, and they further built on the lead in the second half when Anibal Rodriguez converted from the spot after Pritam Kotal was deemed to have handled the ball. Iain Hume pulled a goal back for Kolkata on the 69th minute, but Habas’ men held on for only their second win this campaign.
Here are the five biggest talking points from the game.
#1 Habas’ tactics work wonders
Antonio Habas had to ring in some changes after the Spaniard saw his team down in the trenches after failing to win any of their last five games coming into the match. And the biggest change that the former Kolkata coach rang out tonight was a change in formation.
Habas opted to go in with a 3-5-2 formation which paid rich dividends. While the trio of Mohamed Sissoko, Jonatan Lucca and Lenny Rodriguez nullified anything Kolkata had to offer through the middle, the likes of Narayan Das and Rahul Bheke enjoyed the added responsibility and space on the flanks as the hosts looked utterly dominant for the majority of the game.
Pune were in dire need of a change that would rejuvenate their side or else they faced an early exit from the running for the semis. Whilst that remains quite an uphill task, the win give them some much-needed boost confidence. And Habas has to be given full marks for helping his team prepped for success.
#2 Iain Hume continues to struggle
One of the most bewildering things for Kolkata this season so far has been Iain Hume's form or rather lack of. The Canadian has been played all over the pitch by Jose Molina, and in the last game against NorthEast, the Spaniard wasn’t afraid to drop him and maybe rightly so.
While Hume had gone through a lean patch early on; many thought it would only be a matter of time before he starts delivering. However, even as we head into the business end of the tournament, last season’s second highest goalscorer has found it difficult to carve out goalscoring chances.
Hume may have moved up the goalscoring chart, taking his tally to 3 for the season, every one of them have come from the penalty spot and tonight, thankfully so. The Kolkata number 7 saw his effort from the spot saved by Edel Bete. However, he was fortunate to see the ball come back his way as he thrashed home the rebound.
At no point in time this season, Hume has looked anywhere menacing like the previous two seasons and Kolkata are desperately missing his sharpness in the final third.
#3 Eduardo Ferreira leads by example, leaves by the ambulance
Foreigners around the ISL have been time and again been accused of not caring enough and being lackadaisical with their attitude. However, over the past two days, we have seen two very distinct show of emotion and commitment to the cause. While it was Japanese star Katsumi Yusa who became NorthEast United’s biggest cheerleader, today it was Eduardo Ferreira.
The defender took a nasty knock below his eye in the first half and instead of throwing in the towel, the Brazil-born man fought on and a few minutes later, Habas’ decision to keep the giant of a defender on paid rich dividends.
Ferreira rose highest to meet a corner, using every inch of his 6’2” frame to power the ball home. Although the 33-year-old had to be carried away a few minutes later on a stretcher, he had jeed up his teammates with his efforts on the field.
With Pune down in the dumps, following their dismal start to the season, it is at these moments that the team and the manager seeks for some one to be willing to walk the extra mile, to not be afraid to try to walk on water, even though the idea of the same may seem so implausible and that man today was Ferreira. If Pune can indeed turn their season around following this game, Ferreira should be given much credit to help them doing so.
#4 Kolkata need more from its fullbacks as well as central midfielders
When Pune into the game with wingbacks and a back three which converted into a back five while retreating, Molina would have expected his team to be threatening on the wings. However, as things turned out, the visitors failed to impose their might on the flanks with their wingman looking off colour while getting little help from their full backs.
Sameehg Doutie for the second game in a row failed to have much impact down the right, while Lalrindika showed once again that he is not primarily a winger. Pritam Kotal, who has been India’s first choice on the right side of defence under Stephen Constantine has had an ordinary season so far. He was seen marauding down the right to provide the South African Doutie with an option, but his touches in the final remained something he might not want to see on tape anytime soon. Meanwhile, on the left, Robert was anonymous, and it won’t be a surprise if Molina calls in the services of Prabir Das next game.
In the middle, the duo of Pearson and Borja Fernandes was overrun, and when they had possession, they failed to make much of it. Either there were Hollywood passes upfront for Iain Hume to chase or too many errant balls here and there with the option being limited. The gap between the forward line and the midfield seemed to be a barrier Atletico on the day, and Molina would do well to rectify that aspect of their game.
#5 Pune shows that ISL is a league where anyone can beat anyone
In this bottom vs. the top clash at Pune, you would be forgiven if you had thought Pune were the sides near the top and Atletico struggling at the bottom. That statement in itself goes to show the kind of dominance the home side had in today’s game which was a virtual do or die for Antonio Habas’ men.
The game also showed how little there is regarding the potential between the teams at the top and bottom of the league. Pune defied form as well most people logic, running all over Kolkata except for some tense moments at the back. With the calendar stretched out only for a couple of months, it’s only a matter of clicking at the right time that counts in the Indian Super League. And this might be just the trigger Pune needs to head on to better things.
