Uruguayan striker scores only goal in dramatic match against FC Pune City that saw both teams reduced to 10 men
Emiliano Alfaro celebrates a goal against FC Pune City at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune yesterday. Pic/Sportzpics
Emiliano Alfaro celebrates a goal against FC Pune City at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune yesterday. Pic/Sportzpics
Pune: NorthEast United FC returned to the top of the Indian Super League table with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over FC Pune City at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium in Balewadi-Pune yesterday.
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In a match that saw fortunes-fluctuating and both teams reduced to 10 men, NorthEast United scored the only goal of the match through Emiliano Alfaro in the 79th minute.
NorthEast turn adventurous
The win took NorthEast United back to the top of the table with nine points from four matches, although this encounter will be better remembered for the two red cards that were issued to Nirmal Chhetri (NorthEast United) and Eduardo Ferreira (Pune City) in the 36th and 72nd minute respectively.
NorthEast United were adventurous at the start and seemed determined to make up for the loss in their last match against Mumbai City FC. Rowlin Borges and Katsumi Yusa were in fine fettle and Nicolas Velez was creating plenty of problems for the Pune City defenders.
In the 13th minute itself, NorthEast United's Romaric went close with a shot from just outside the box which missed the target after Borges and Katsumi had done the spadework. NorthEast United's next chance came five minutes later.
Alfaro scores
This time it was Katsumi who slid the ball for Alfaro, and the Uruguayan striker did well to sell a dummy for Velez, who couldn't give the finishing touches from inside the box.
NorthEast United were now back in control of the match and were rewarded in the 79th minute. Velez started it all with a fine run on the right and relayed the ball to Alfaro.
The Uruguayan striker then passed the ball on the left to Yusa, whose shot from inside the box took a deflection and fell nicely for Alfaro again who put it across a diving Pune goalkeeper Edel Bete.
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