It turned out to be Friday the 13th for the Pune Football Club as Chidi Edeh struck thrice for Mohun Bagan to register a 3-1 win in the eighth round of the ONGC I-League at the Shiv Chattrapati Sports complex in Balewadi on Friday. The former Mahindra United player, Chidi, struck in the 36th, 61st and 76th minute, while Douhov Sey Djidja Perre scored the consolation goal for the hosts in the extra time of penalty.
“That is history,” was the first reaction of Bagan’s coach Karim Bencherifa after his boys were denied to have a feel of the ground on the eve of the game. “My boys adopted to the situation well and the score card says it all,” added Karim. He was pleased with Tomba Singh’s game and the overall team effort, as they played without the top players’ services. They are playing without the service of Jose Barreto, who has been the livewire in the defence and they have delivered well according to the conditions,” added Karim, who now feels that these three points have boosted the morale of the team. “When the second phase begins in January, we will have our a full strength side,” he said.
Blame it on the defence and the body language of the Pune FC side, as the two goals were due to the slip of the defenders. “The defence fell apart as they lost concentration and the two goals turned the tables on us,” said Pune FC coach Derrick Pereira.
However, he was content with the outcome in general and hoped that the 45 days of training before the second phase would change the team’s effort.
