Aizawl FC and Real Kashmir's defenders proved too strong and forwards too rusty as their I-League clash at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Aizawl on Monday ended in a goalless draw. (More Football News)
Subhasish Roy Chowdhury and Lalmuansanga, the two goalkeepers, stood tall in a match characterised by missed opportunities. The ball did find the net twice though, on🍌ce for each side, but from offside positions.
Aizawl's Ugandan forward Henry Kisekka curle🔴d in🦄 a right-footer from the left through the far post, but was ruled offside in the eighth minute. In the 28th minute, Real Kashmir's Ghanaian forward Ibrahim Nurudeen suffered the same fate.
Yakub🍨u ꦅWadudu sent in the cross from the right and Nurudeen headed it in, but he was clearly ahead of the last line of Aizawl defence.
One point from this match did not help e🌠ither team, but neither Aizawl coach Caetano Pinho, nor Real Kashmir coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo sounded too disappointed after the match.
"The players gave everything they had. We were unlucky not to grab full points from this match🐼," said Meh♉raj.
Pinho, on the other🍸 hand, remark🧸ed, "Football is a game of mistakes."
Having made defensive errors in their previous match, he was happy with the progress show⛎n on the day and said finishing in attacking third will be worked on.
Aizawl's best chance to score came in the stoppage time of the first half, when young talent Tharpuia ran into the box from the right. He had enough space ahead to shoot himself but chose to pass it to Kisekka, who was right in the 💜middle of ✅the box.
This unselfishness did not bear fruit as Kisekka could only provide a weak touch that deflected off a Real Kashmir def🌳ender and sailed over the bar.
Winger Mafela had a good match, too, but on❀ly up to the penalty box. His shot at goal in the 49th minute was not powerful enough to beat Subhasish.
Despite the Real Kashmir goalie's doggedness, Yakubu's free-kick had almost tu𒐪rned into an own goal in the𒁏 51st minute but Subhasish tipped it over the bar.
The🐈 only time Subhasish floundered was in the 76th minute when Adinga's powerful shot slipped out of his grasp, but Kisekka failed to provide the all-important touch once again.
Aizawl goal𒐪keeper Muansanga maintained an adventurous approach in the game as he left the goal-line whenever the ball was floated into the box.
He was successful in averting danger most of the time, but landed in trouble soon after the breather when his weak fist fell to Nurudeen. Fortunately, the Ghanaian's shot was blocked by ༺a defender just 🌳in time.
This result keeps Real Kashmir in the fourth spot with 17 points in 10 matches, while Aizawl𒊎 are seventh wit🌃h 13 points from the same number of games.
