Half Time Report: Tale of missed chances and good goalkeeping as ATK holds attacking NE
Starting Line-Ups:
NorthEast United FC -- Rehenesh TP, Reagan Singh, Aitor, Carlos Lopez, Cedric Hengbart, Robin Gurung, Siam Hanghal, Andre Bikey, Bruno Herrero Arias, Francis Dadzie, Diomansy Kamara
Atletico de Kolkata -- Amrinder Singh, Rino Anto, Arnab Mondal, Tiri, Augustin Fernandes, Oftense Nato, Borja Fernandez, Baljit Singh Sahni, Jaime Gaivilan, Javi Lara, Iain Hume
A TIGHT GAME where both teams got a number of chances but failed to convert saw NorthEast United and Atletico de Kolkata hold each other to 0-0 at the end of the first half at Guwahati.
Cesar Farias looked to further fine-tune on the performance put up by his boys in the win against FC Goa by making three changes to the starting line-up; bringing in Reagan Singh, Siam Hanghal and Carlos Lopez for Holicharan Narzary, Boithang Haokip and Silas. Simao Sabrosa remained on the bench, but he is expected to come on in the second half just as in the last match.
For Antonio Habas, the need for improvement over the loss to Pune City drove him to make five changes. He brought in Amrinder Singh at goal to get the sixth foreigner in the outfield. Baljit Singh Sahni was also back from the 2-match suspension that he served for a head-butt on Gregory Arnolin. The other three who were drafted into the starting line-up were Jaime Gaivilan, Augustin Fernandes, and Tiri.
Other than an early fumble from Rehenesh TP, NorthEast United began the game as the more aggressive team, repeatedly forcing the ATK defenders back into their own box to try and repel dangerous situations.
Past the 10-minute mark, Bruno made a good run up the left flank and passed the ball to Siam Hanghal but the finisher was wide of the target.
Soon after, Iain Hume was tangled in a fight for the ball along with two NEUFC players. After getting up, Hume pushed Lopez and got into a verbal argument; the referee got involved and broke them up.
Atletico de Kolkata got their first good chance when Borja sent a cross to Gavilian who took a good volley but missed the target by about three inches. NEUFC hit right back, with a hard-hit free kick from Bruno right on target but Amrinder brilliantly managed to jump and pry it away with his left palm.
Bruno remained a threat for ATK and at one point threatened to break past the defensive barrier. Rino Anto made a well-timed professional foul on him, earning himself a yellow card and saved his team from an early setback.
A dangerous situation ensued inside the ATK box as Bruno sent in a cross that Amrinder punched away. Reagan Singh picked it up and took a shot at the top corner but Amrinder rose to the challenge and made another great save.
ATK kept trying to put some pressure back on the home side but their efforts kept getting cleared and they were often falling victim to counter-attacks.
Gaivilan got a good chance to score towards the end of the first half as Hume sent a good ball to Borja who ran straight ahead with the ball. Aiborlang Khongjee stayed right with Borja, and did not give up until he had managed to clear it for a corner.
The last good chance of the half came to the defending champions when Gaivilan took a corner kick which Nato got a header on, but Andre Bikey managed to clerar it for a corner.
The half-ended 0-0. For Habas, the worry will be the way his defence has time and again been opened up by the home side. But for a number of great saves from Amrinder Singh they would have been down by a goal. For Cesar Farias, it is a question of keeping up the offensive efforts and not let ATK turn the momentum of the game. And he has enough reinforcement available on the bench to turn the screw at any point of the match.
