Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) ended their group stage engagements with their eighth draw of the Indian Super League (ISL) football tournament in a 0-0 tie against FC Pune City at the Rabindra Sarovar stadium.

Pune coach Antonio Lopez Habas failed to win both the group stage matches against his former employers as both sides fired blanks in an otherwise inconsequential encounter.

The hosts, who have alreadt qualified for the semi-finals, have 20 points from 14 outings while Pune bowed out with 16.

ATK forward Juan Belencoso missed four clear-cut chances in both halves while the visitors failed to create many in a turgid affair.

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ATK will now have to wait to learn their semi-final opponents as table-toppers Mumbai City FC and Delhi Dynamos lock horns on Saturday.

As expected, the hosts made wholesale changes to the team that drew 1-1 against Kerala Blasters. The likes of Helder Postiga, Borja Fernandes and Iain Hume were given rest while Henrique Sereno and Debjit Mazumder were also made to cool their heels.

Pune keeper Arindam Bhattacharya was called into action as soon the fifth minute when he palmed away a stinging Javi Lara free-kick saved after a darting run by Abhinash Ruidas down the left flank was pockmarked by Rahul Bheke.

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Minutes later, Javi Lara had acres of space in front of him to run at the rival defence but Arindam again pulled off a good save to deny the in-form Spaniard.

ATK looked the likelier of the two sides to take the lead as Belencoso first side-netted a Ruidas cross to follow it up with an effort over the bar after some slick play saw Ruidas feed the profligate Spaniard inside the box.

Pune had their only chance at the half-hour mark when Anibal Rodriguez missed from the edge of the box. The first half ended goalless.

Belencoso missed another golden opportunity six minutes into the second period when the tall striker headed wide a Bidyananda Singh cross from handshaking distance.

Pune got two chances in quick succession but both substitute Dramane Traore (introduced in place of Momar Ndoye in the 72nd minute) and Sanju Pradhan missing.

ATK coach Jose Molina replaced Jewel Raja to bring in Stephen Pearson, who minutes after coming on, was part of a twin miss.

First the Scotsman’s shot from just inside the box was parried away by Arindam but only as far as a lurking Belencoso who somehow conspired to muff one of the easiest of chances.

Hume was brought on in the dying minutes of the match but the score remained unchanged.

IANS

FC Goa scripted a pulsating 5-4 victory against Chennaiyin in their final Indian Super League (ISL) football clash.

Both teams have failed to qualify for the semifinals and were only playing for pride at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Chennaiyin took lead three times but Goa restored parity every time and went ahead in the 76th minute for the first time in the match .

Rafael Coelho put Goa in lead, scoring his second goal of the game. But Chennaiyin drew level in the 88th minute after substitute John Arne Riise converted a penalty.

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The match was moving towards a 3-3 draw until Sahil Tavora netted in added time.

FC Goa scored through a brace each from Rafael Coelho (6th minute, 76th), Sahil Tavora (68th and 90th) and Joffre Gonzalez (21st). Chennaiyin FC found the mark through Jerry Lalrinzuala (4th), Gregory Arnolin (own goal, 14th), Dudu Omagbemi (28th) and John Arne Riise (88th).

Chennaiyin led 3-2 at half-time.

The victory took Goa’s points tally to 14 but they still finished at the bottom of the table. Defending champions Chennaiyin finished seventh with 15 points in an extremely disappointing campaign for both last year’s finalists.

Chennaiyin surged ahead in the fourth minute itself when Jerry scored from a free-kick to dazzle goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani but Goa soon equalised as Coelho got hold of a through ball from Joffre Gonalez and then scored with ease.

Chennaiyin took the lead for the second time in the 14th minute when Anirudh Thapa’s shot that hit the post, struck Goa defender Gregory Arnolin and sailed into the net. Just like the first setback, Goa drew level for the second time, this time Joffre scoring from a penalty.

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The visitors enjoyed a 3-2 advantage at half-time as Dudu Omagbemi capitalised on a defensive lapse in the 28th minute.

In the second session, coach Zico made a couple of changes and Goa not just equalised through Sahil Tavora but also moved up for the first time as Rafael Coelho gave finishing touches to a brilliant long ball from Trindade Goncalves in the 76th minute.

The goal seemed enough for Goa to pocket full points as they fell back and defended but there was disappointment as Raju Gaikwad handled the ball, prompting the referee to award a penalty which Riise scored with ease.

Just when it seemed like the match would end in a draw, Sahil Tavora scored from the left, as his shot kissed the post and sailed into the net.

IANS

NorthEast United FC kept their Indian Super League (ISL) football semi-final qualification hopes alive with a narrow 1-0 victory over FC Pune City. NorthEast had gone six matches without a win, losing four of them.

With just two points from their last six matches they were on the verge of exit until Ivory Coast midfielder Romaric scored from a stunning free-kick in the 81st minute here at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium.

The victory helped NorthEast accumulate 14 points from 11 matches and move to the sixth spot. With three matches still left to be played their coach Nelo Vingada will feel confident.

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Pune now have 15 points from 12 matches and will have to win their next two games to be assured of a place in the play-offs.

The battle was a cagey affair particularly in the first session when neither team enjoyed clear cut chances.

Pune’s Momar Ndoye was the only player who got a sighter at goal but could not beat goalkeeper Subrata Paul from a narrow angle.

Pune’s midfielder Jonatan Lucca also missed a good chance from just outside the box when the ball fell for him nicely but he could only shoot waywardly with his left-foot.

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For NorthEast, there was hardly any chance of note with midfielder Katsumi Yusa’s attempt on goal which goalkeeper Edel Bete saved without much difficulty. It was their only shot on target in the first half.

In the second session, Pune came out all guns blazing and were unlucky not to take the lead.

In the 69th minute, Lenny Rodrigues’ fierce shot from 35 yards beat goalkeeper Paul but bounced off the crossbar.

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Spanish midfielder Pitu then tried his luck after Izumi Arata had chested the ball down for him inside the penalty box but goalkeeper Paul measured up to the challenge with a one-handed reflex save.

Surviving the onslaught, NorthEast scored the match in the 81st minute.

The hosts won a free-kick just outside the box and Romaric stepped up to take it. The Ivory Cost midfielder used his left foot to devastating effect as his curling free-kick found the top corner of the net, past a diving Edel Bete.

IANS

FC Pune City resurrected their bungling Indian Super League (ISL) football campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Atletico de Kolkata on Sunday.

Goals from Eduardo Ferreira (41st minute) and a successful penalty by Anibal Rodriguez (56th) ensured three points for Pune at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium at Pune.

ATK striker Iain Hume kept them in the game after converting a penalty in the 69th minute but Pune held on for an important win.

It was their first home win of the tournament ensuring a two-position jump to sixth on the points table with nine points from eight matches.

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Pune City were at the bottom of the table with six points prior to this clash but are now placed sixth, above Kerala Blasters (nine points) and FC Goa (seven).

The win was also important for Pune City coach Antonio Habas who was up against his former club. After two successful seasons with Atletico de Kolkata, Habas had switched to Pune City and was under-pressure to deliver for his new employers.

Pune took the field on the back of a wretched run of form that saw them win just one match in the first seven matches.

ATK had the first chance in the match in the eighth minute when the former Portugal striker took a powerful shot which went just wide.

After much probing, Pune City took the lead in the 41st minute through Ferreira.

A few minutes earlier, the Brazilian needed medical attention after clashing with Postiga. He had a cut across his face but continued bravely and headed home Jonatan Lucca’s corner to give his team the lead.

Pune City made it 2-0 in the second session after the referee adjudged ATK defender Pritam Kotal to have handled Tato’s cross inside the penalty box.

Rodriguez stepped up to take the spot-kick and converted even though ATK goalkeeper Debjit Majumder had managed to get his hand to the ball.

The visitors were thrown a lifeline in the 68th minute when Postiga won a penalty, having being brought down by his Pune’s marquee player Mohammed Sissoko.

Hume’s penalty was initially saved by Pune goalkeeper Edel Bete, formerly of ATK, but the Canadian pushed in the rebound ball.

Pune then held on to their lead negotiating ATK’s goalbound forays.

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FC Goa edged past hosts FC Pune City 1-0 in an Indian Super League match. Rafael Luiz netted the all-important goal from a free-kick in the 32nd minute at the Balewadi stadium.

The win meant Goa went up to the seventh place, on seven points from eight games, pushing Pune to the bottom of the eight team tournament with six points from seven games.

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Pune are now winless in five straight matches while it was Goa’s only second victory of the competition.

FC Goa chief coach Zico made as many as five changes to the team that lost the last match at home against Delhi Dynamos. Zico preferred to strengthen his defence with three international players while goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani, Sanjay Balmuchu and Robin Singh also returned to the side.

FC Pune City coach Antonio Habas, who had never lost a match against Goa, made three changes, at least one necessitated with the two-match suspension of defender D Ravanan.

Pune dominated the early phase of the match. Midfielder Sanju Pradhan beat Goa’s Mandar Rao Dessai to essay a pass for striker Dramana Traore with five minutes gone, but defender Gregory Arnolin cleared it out.

Pune enjoyed more posession, with marquee man Mohammed Sissoko in the thick of things.

but they couldn’t convert that domination into goals.

Goa also had sighters on goal with Jofre Mateu, having been fed by Goa striker Robin Singh, blazed his shot high and wide.

Goa eventually took the lead in the 32nd minute. Joffre won a free-kick just outside the box after being brought down by Pune defender Augustine Fernandes.

Rafael stepped up and curled the ball well into the far corner of the nets, past Pune goalkeeper Edel Bete who was distracted by the presence of Robin Singh in the defensive wall.

Pune came close to securing the equaliser just before the half-time break as Jonatan Lucca cut past five Goa players but his shot was well saved by goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani.

In the second session, Pune could not breach the solid defensive line manned by captain Gregory Arnolin, Rafael Dumas and Luciano.

IANS

Substitute Leo Costa scored a screamer just two minutes from time as Mumbai City FC rescued a point against Chennaiyin FC with a 1-1 draw in the Hero Indian Super League.

Jeje Lalpekhlua’s second-half strike seemed like it would be enough for Chennaiyin FC to edge past Mumbai City FC and move joint top alongside Atletico de Kolkata at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Mumbai never seemed into the game until Costa came off the bench to score a wonderful long ranger in the 88th minute to win Mumbai’s first ever point in the ISL against Chennaiyin FC.

The draw left Mumbai City on the second spot with 12 points, the same as leaders Atletico de Kolkata, while Chennaiyin FC have 10 points in their kitty and are sandwiched between Delhi Dynamos in third and NorthEast United FC in fifth, both with the same points.

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In four previous clashes between the two teams, Chennaiyin FC had emerged triumphant in all games and for most part of their last clash, seemed like the better side.

With chief coach Marco Materazzi suspended for this clash for his ‘misconduct against opponents or persons other than match officials’ as defined by the AIFF Disciplinary Committee, the defending champions took it upon themselves to continue their dominance over the visitors.

For the opening 45 minutes, Chennaiyin FC dominated but could not break the deadlock. Maurizio Peluso was in fine form up front and seemed to create the best chance for Jeje in the 14th minute when he slid a ball to the Indian striker but Gerson Vieira did well to come from behind and clear the ball.

Peluso then had Mumbai goalkeeper Albino Gomes at full-stretch to keep a free-kick away in one of the six shots that Chennaiyin had in the first session.

Mumbai City did not have any shot on target in the first session but marquee player Diego Forlan did come close in the 36th minute. The veteran Uruguayan striker made space for himself just outside the box and let go of a powerful shot which Chennaiyin FC goalkeeper Duwayne Kerr did well to tip over for a corner.

Chennaiyin FC had their noses in front in the second session. Peluso’s corner-kick should have been cleared by the Mumbai defence. But two defenders simply watched and another one missed the flight of the ball, allowing Jeje space to head the ball past the goalkeeper in the 51st minute.

The defending champions should have killed the match in the 72nd minute but Dudu Omagbemi missed from close range. Jeje had shown remarkable composure to win the ball, hold on to it and then slide it for Dudu who could not beat the onrushing goalkeeper.

Mumbai City made the best use of that let-off and found the equaliser in the 88th minute. Leo Costa took the ball from about 25 yards out and launched a powerful left-footer which found the top corner of the net, past a diving Kerr.

IANS

The opening ceremony of the Indian Super League (ISL) promises glitz and glamour with Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt, Jacqueline Fernandez and Varun Dhawan expected to perform on October 1 at Guwahati’s Indira Gandhi Stadium.

Alia, Jacqueline and Varun are gearing up to set the stage on fire with their performances on some of their most popular tracks.

Moreover, close to 500 performers and artists will take part in the fanfare of the opening ceremony.

“Football loving fans from the northeast region are expected to throng the stadium for the opening ceremony and opening match of the season and can groove and sway to the music as the glamorous trio take to the stage,” ISL said in a statement.

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The northeast region has consistently groomed talented football professionals who have represented some of the biggest clubs in the country as well as the national team.

Football Sports Development Ltd – a joint venture between IMG, Reliance Industries and Star India, has rewarded NorthEast United FC the coveted rights to host the opening ceremony to celebrate the region’s passion for the beautiful game.

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NorthEast United FC Owner and host of the opening ceremony, John Abraham said: “I’m extremely happy to get this opportunity to host the opening ceremony. It’s a huge deal for my team as well as my people in the northeast region who have always showered the team with their love and supported us throughout.

“The opening ceremony promises to draw the world’s attention to the potential of northeast region and I hope this encourages more youth from the area to take up football professionally.”

The opening match on October 1 will witness home side NorthEast United FC taking on Kerala Blasters FC.

IANS