Champions PFC sign off in style,thrash Prayag United

In the first 10 minutes,Pune FC managed to get a couple of attacks on the opposition goal. Haokip,Nikhil Kadam and William combined well on the right,but William’s cross from the touchline went straight to the keeper.

A minute later,skipper Suji Kumar,working well on the left,sent a cross in,but it was too high for Haokip to power a header.

Just before the half-hour mark,Prayag were awarded with a penalty after Gobin brought down a Prayag attacker in the box. It seemed a fair challenge as Gobin had got the ball first.

Jagganath Oraon stepped up and gave the Kolkata side the lead with a hard-low shot to keeper Amrinder Singh’s left (0-1).

Pune FC went on the offensive in search of an equalizer.

Lalrempuia’s cross n from the right was just too long for Suji on the left. At the other end,Prayag launched their own attacks but some disappointing finishing let them down.

As the half came to a close,Pune FC had two more chances. Haokip’s shot on the turn from outside the box was blocked,whereas Lalrempuia’s free kick from the top of the box went over.

As the second half kicked off,Pune FC went on the offensive mode.

Two minutes into the half,James put the ball into the box,but Haokip was adjudged to have fouled the keeper as he challenge the long ball.

Ten minutes into the half and Pune FC found the equalizer through William Lalnunfela. Nikhil’s freekick deflected of the Prayag wall,and a very alert William pounced on it and calmly finished it with his second touch (1-1).

Ten minutes after the hour mark,William doubled his tally to give Pune FC the lead. Lalrempuia brilliantly switched to Nikhil into the space on the right. He cut in and beat the defender to have a shot from inside the box.

The block fell in his path again,but William pounced first to let rip into the goal — a poacher’s finish for the second time (2-1).

Into the final quarter of the match and Pune FC went 3-1 up,thanks to an own goal from a Prayag defender. Nikhil’s in-swinging corner had three Pune FC players go for the header and in the process the helpless Prayag defender headed his clearance into his own net.

As the match closed out,Pune FC had one more chance. Ranjan Singh blasted a free kick goalwards,but the keeper parried it away following a foul earned by Nikhil outside the box.