Skip to content Skip to navigation

NorthEast United FC beat FC Pune City: 2-0

By AT News |
Diomansy Kamara of NorthEast United FC celebrates his goal with Nico Velez
Diomansy Kamara of NorthEast United FC celebrates his goal with Nico Velez

NorthEast United FC beat FC Pune City with 3-2 goals in Guwahati on Wednesday in the Hero Indian Super League match.

In a fast-paced clash for a place in the semifinals, NorthEast United did well to hammer three past FC Pune City in the first half with goals from Nicolas Velez (4th minute), Diomansy Kamara (18th minute) and Andre Bikey (43rd minute). FC Pune City had briefly fought their way back into this game with a goal from James Bailey (8th minute) to tie the  match at 1-1 but then surrendered ground to the hosts.

Adrian Mutu pulled another goal back for Pune City with four minutes left on the clock but eventually ran out of time.

The victory took NorthEast United to the fourth spot with 20 points. They have now completed their league engagements and will only qualify if FC Pune City defeat Chennaiyin FC in their concluding league clash. Chennaiyin FC are placed fifth with 19 points and will qualify with a draw against Pune City, thanks to their superior goal average of plus nine.

FC Pune City needed to win both their matches and are now out of the competition for knock out stage.

NorthEast United started the match in roaring fashion with Velez giving his team the lead in the fourth minute. It all started from NorthEast United’s own half with Didier Zokoro losing the ball to Bruno Arias. The midfielder ran quite some distance with the ball and found Mendy, whose first touch was disappointing, but still managed to pull the ball back for Velez who did the rest despite having three defenders ahead of him.

Pune City fought their way back just four minutes later. Jackichand Singh played the ball for Zokoro just outside the box and the highest capped player for Ivory Coast relayed the ball for Bailey, who did well to curl it past NorthEast goalkeeper TP Rehenesh.

NorthEast regained their lead in the 18th minute from a quick counter-attack. Mendy found Velez who crossed across the face of goal where Kamara found space and time at the far post to tap the ball into an empty net.

It seemed to be curtains for Pune City in the 43rd minute when Bikey jumped high enough to head home a free-kick from Bruno with Pune goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya completely missing the ball.

In the second session, FC Pune City stepped up their attack and pressed more men forward but the visitors had nothing to show apart from a trademark Adrian Mutu free-kick in the 86th minute. The goal did not make much of a difference as NorthEast defended their lead to stay alive in the league.

FC Pune City, who led the ISL table at the start, ended their league engagements without a single away win.

  • 16021 reads

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

No change of stand on citizenship amendment: AGP

GUWAHATI:Amid a stepped up activities within BJP to get the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 cleared in Parliament, Asom Gana Parishad has reiterated that the regional party will never support it. The party decided to dispatch a delegation to the Centre to mount pressure on the NDA government to stop the deal. In a meeting at the party headquarters in Guwahati, AGP leaders and legislators vowed to oppose the move and decided to approach all political parties for support to stop the move.

NDFB-S rebels killed, trader rescued in Umrangsu

GUWAHATI: Security forces claimed to have rescued a person from NDFB-I's custody after a fierce fighting where two dreaded rebels were eliminated in Karbi Anglong on Saturday. The gunfight took place in Umrangsu where the rebels were hiding along with Mahendra Ray whom they kidnapped two days back demanding ₹3 crore ran some. Details awaited.

Modi opens power project in Aiazwl

AIAZWL:Mizoram has received a huge boost on it's power from after prime minister Narendra Modi opened the NEEPCO owned Tuitial Hydro Electric Power project in Aiazwl on Saturday. Opening this vital project at a function in the Assam Rifles Ground in the capital city, the Prime Minister, flanked by Governor Nirbhay Sarma and chief minister Lalthanhawala, Modi said the project would percolate huge benefit for the entire north eastern region. Modi's Mizoram visit is said to be BJP's initial but huge step to woo the people since the north eastern state is going to the assembly polls early next year. Then Modi left for Shillong where he is addressing a rally in Polo Ground apart from opening...

National Sub Jr Hockey in Hojai

HOJAI: Hojai is gearing up to hist the National Sub Junior Hockey Tournament from January, 2018. Talking to Assam Times, Hojai Sports Association Secretary Kamal Dutta said 23 states have confirmed participation in the week long event slated to begin from January 5 which will conclude on January 13. The stadium is getting a fresh look and the organizers are working overtime to dress the playground afresh. Top organizers have been constantly reviewing the progress.

NDFB-S rebel hurt in gunfight, hospitalized

KOKRAJHAR:A dreaded NDFB-S rebel is undergoing bullet injury treatment in hospital after he was trapped during the recent counter insurgency operation at Dhumbazar in Kokrajhar. Identified as Maothi alias Martyr Narzary, he received multiple bullet injury in his body to be rushed to the hospital. police claimed to have seized a pistol from the rebel after the encounter where the rebel outfit lost its western commander.

BJP leader's son kidnapped in Margherita

MARGHERITA: Security forces are fanning in search Arunav Phukan in Margherita a day after suspected ULFA-I rebels kidnapped the local BJP leader's son in Tinsukia district on Friday. Army, police and para military forces are concentrating the search operation along the Assam- Arunachal Pradesh border where he has gone missing as he was going to look after his father's business in Wala Basti. Nobody has so far owned up the responsibility and no organization has been in touch with the Phukans. But top sources confirmed that Dilip Phukan, who owns a stone quarry and a close aide of Margherita Bhaskar Sarma, received extortion notices from the rebel outfit.

ULFA-I monitoring Golaghat shoot out

GUWAHATI: The United Liberation Front of Asom (I) has strongly condemned the recent shoot out in Golaghat where twelve tea garden workers were injured in firing by their owner. In a statement issued on Friday, the rebel outfit fighting for an independent Assam said they have been probing the incident and that the guilty must be punished. They said they would always be fighting for the suppressed and,marginalized section of the society.

No mercy for arrested ACS-APS officers

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has reserved its ruling on the bail petitions moved by 19 ACS and APS officers who were arrested in the APSC cash for jobs scam. A bench of Justice Rumi Kumari Phukan heard the bail petitions on Friday and reserved the ruling. The ruling is expected in a day or two. All of these officers have been sent to jail after the end of the police remand.  The court further heard the anticipatory bail petition of Nishamoni Deka who has been absconding since the police launched the massive drive against these ACS and APS officers. The Supreme Court has already rejected the anticipatory bail plea.    

PM to open investors’ summit: Sonowal

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said Assam will be a major south east Asian destination for foreign investment when the north eastern state is hosting the global investors’ summit in the capital city of Guwahati in February. Addressing a prèss conference in New Delhi on Friday Sonowal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is opening the three days summit which will beckon the foreign investors.   “We want a pollution free environment. We want industrial growth without hampering the ecology. Now Assam is a nice place for the investors. This will help the state engage lakhs of unemployed youths directly and indirectly in it,” said Sonowal. Before that Sonowal along with his...

I won’t support Akhil: Anna Hazare

GUWAHATI: Anna Hazare will never support Akhil Gogoi? Why? The KMSS leader has inclination to violence. This was what the Gandhian leader himself told reporters in Guwahati on Friday.   Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Hazare said never in his life should has been supporting violence and that he won’t in future.  “What Akhil Gogoi did was related to violence which is not the solution. I don’t have support,” said Anna Hazare who is in the city seeking support to his soon to be launched Jan Lok Pal agitation.   The octogenarian leader who arrived in Guwahati on Saturday is leaving for Arunachal Pradesh to monger more support from the north eastern state.  ...