Kalyani (West Bengal) [India]March 20 (ANI): RoundGlass Punjab FC and NEROCA FC shared the switch when their I-League competition ended in a 1-1 draw at Kalyani Stadium on Sunday.
After 57 minutes, NEROCA FC put Sergio Mendigutxia ahead 2 – 0 when he rose to head in a cross from the right wing.
NEROCA FC drove early in the meeting, seemed to be sure they were in possession and played with a higher intensity than the opposition from Punjab. But even though NEROCA was at the top, NEROCA had a little more than a few half-chances to show for their efforts.
The first half remained a cruel affair for the most part, with both teams’ size on top of each other for the first 45 minutes. Neither team managed to hit a decisive blow in the first period, as the match remained 0-0 at the break.
The match was level at 1 – 1 after 57 minutes when Mendigutxia broke through on the right. It was the Spanish maestro Juan Mera who was on the goalkeeper for NEROCA, when he delivered a swinging corner from the right. Mendigutxia timed his run to perfection and rushed into the front post, creating a perfect contact to send a gleaming nod into the unguarded far post. After almost an hour of play, NEROCA FC finally had the lead that they had threatened to take since the first outing.
NEROCA had another excellent opportunity after 73 minutes, shooting on a through ball down the right hand side, but he missed the goal by miles! Sweden Fernandes played through the substitute Vicky Meitei on goal, but after a comfortable break from the back line, Meitei made a single mess of the finish in a position against one.
NEROCA FC were given a gift! The ref dubiously awarded them a penalty 77 minutes into the match, which was neatly put away by Aphaoba Singh. After finding plenty of time and space inside the box, Aphaoba caressed his finish in the bottom corner, which once again proved that RoundGlass Punjab is a side with tremendous resilience in its ranks.
With just under a quarter of an hour left in the match, there did not have to be any more clear chances for any of the teams. NEROCA FC may have overshadowed the competition on the balance of play, but there was no difference between the two teams on the results list because RoundGlass Punjab FC held out for a hard fought point. (ANI)
Source: sn.dk