Aizawl smarted from a surprise 0-2 loss to newcomers Chennai City in their last game to get three points on the board at home to DSK Shivajians on Wednesday. With the match heading for a stalemate, substitute Brandon Vanlalremdika netted the winner with a couple of minutes left on the clock.
There were barely any notable chances throughout the contest as the ball was bogged down in the midfield for large chunks of the game. Both defences stood tight and the attempts were restricted to shots from a distance.
While Aizawl’s attackers got them off to a brisk start, swiftly moving the ball down the flanks, it was the away side that looked dangerous towards the end of the first half. Aizawl forward Jayesh Rane was a threatening presence in the second half but, once again, there were few attempts that tested the keeper.
With time running out in the game, the contest turned into an attack versus defence battle with the home side throwing men forward, for which they reaped the rewards in the dying minutes. The Mizoram-based side are now level on points with Mohun Bagan, but lie third in the table because of an inferior goal difference. Shivajians are at seventh.
The score
Aizawl FC 1 (Brandon Vanlalremdika) beat DSK Shivajians 0
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