FC Pune City threatened but failed to find a a winner against Kerala Blasters in a thrilling 1-1 draw at the Chhatrapati Sports Complex on Monday. Cedric Hengbart scored the fastest goal of this Indian Super League season, putting his side in the lead before Pune skipper Mohamed Sissoko got one for his team in the second half.
Buoyed by their win against Mumbai City FC, the Blasters were in fine form in the early stages. Hengbart's opener was slightly fortuitous with the ball taking a deflection and falling kindly to the Blasters defender's feet with the two teams having barely settled into the contest.
Blasters displayed plenty of energy from the flanks through Duckens Nazon and Mohammed Rafique, but it was also clear that Pune were going to create plenty of chances. Dramane Traore made a nuisance of himself through his towering presence against Aaron Hughes and Hengbart. The Pune striker saw quite a bit of the ball in the first half.
Traore found space on the right and should have leveled scores but Sandip Nandy smartly cut out the scoring angles and parried the shot away. The Blasters responded immediately through Mehtab Hossain's shot, which curled narrowly away from Apoula Edel's right post.
The Blasters were rattled by Pune's sustained pressure and a calamitous back-pass gave Traore yet another opening, and once again it was Nandy who won the duel. Traore also had a goal disallowed for offside in the first half.
The Blasters were getting pegged back and Pune deservedly got a goal through skipper Sissoko's shot, which took a deflection off Hughes before rolling into the net. Farukh Choudhary got the best chance of netting the winner when a deflected Antonio German shot fell at his feet. Edel dived full length to his right to push the Blasters' midfielder's shot away from goal.
The game's intensity, which had been lively throughout, dropped somewhat in the last quarter of the game. It was still Pune who had the the edge during attacks. The Blasters' forwards had a disappointing outing in comparison.
Brief scores:
FC Pune City 1 (Mohamed Sissoko) draw with Kerala Blasters 1 (Cedric Hengbart)
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