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 prevailed 4-3 over league leaders Delhi Dynamos to boost their chances of reaching the semi-finals of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL).

FC Pune City were down by a Kean Lewis (44th minute) goal in the first session but turned the match around in the second session with goals from Anibal Rodriguez (55th and 63rd), Mohammed Sissoko (62nd) and Lenny Rodrigues (90th).

Delhi Dynamos remained in contention with an own goal from Eduardo Ferreira (79th) and a goal from Malsawmzuala (90th) till the very end at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium.

The victory took Pune City to the fourth spot with 15 points from 11 matches, just two less than Delhi Dynamos who could have sealed their place in the play-offs with three points.

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Chennaiyin FC and Atletico de Kolkata, both out of the top four now, can move on top with victories on Saturday, while NorthEast United FC (11 points) and FC Goa (11 points) are still in the competition with three matches left to be played.

In an exciting contest, Delhi goalkeeper Soren Porei was the hero for his team in the first 45 minutes after stopping a penalty from Mohammed Sissoko and blocking Momar Ndoye twice in a one-on-one situation.

Pune City had better control and should have taken the lead when Anibal was brought down inside the danger zone and the referee awarded a penalty. But marquee player Sissoko ended up with a poor penalty which Porei saved by guessing correctly and diving to his left.

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The miss proved costly for Pune as they conceded a goal close to half time. Marcelinho’s back-heel from just outside the box released Emerson Gomes de Moura (Memo) whose ball inside the box saw Kean Lewis find space and time to slot it inside the net in the 44th minute.

The goal was the 400th in the ISL and gave Delhi confidence that they can qualify for the semi-finals with three matches in hand but Pune struck in the 55th minute. A free kick from Jonatan Lucca found Anibal who rose high over two defenders and headed it into the far post.

Seven minutes later, Pune City were ahead when Sissoko made amends for his poor penalty and slotted home from inside the box from another free kick.

Pune appeared to wrap up the game only a minute later as Anibal capitalised on a blunder from Delhi Dynamos. Goalkeeper Porei threw the ball away to Ruben Gonzalez who could not control it. Anibal picked it up and beat the goalkeeper at the near post with a powerful strike.

Florent Malouda had a hand in the second goal for Delhi as his shot across the goal hit defender Eduardo and sailed into the goal in the 79th minute. Any chance of a comeback was snuffed out by Pune midfielder Lenny Rodrigues when he finished a pass from Lucca in the last minute of play.

Malsawmzuala did manage to pull another goal back for Delhi in added time but there was no more time for the equaliser as the visitors lost 3-4.

IANS