Lanzarote inspires ATK to third victory
KOLKATA:GIVEN that Manuel Lanzarote was the heart and soul of ATK’S attack, it was fitting that he would contribute to the evening’s only goal. His heeled pass to Jayesh Rane wrongfooted FC Pune City’s backline and after Rane threaded in a cross, Gerson Vieira beat Ashutosh Mehta to flick home an 82nd minute header. On 10 points from three wins and a draw after eight games, ATK are the sixth team to move into double figures in ISL5.
Lanzarote, 34, would have got his second goal of the season in the first half here on Saturday. Proof of how ordinary FC Pune City’s defending has been lay in them conceding four free-kicks in dangerous areas before half-time and one in the second half.
ATK’S 4-4-2 formation segued into 4-2-3-1 though there was change in personnel forced by the injury to Kalu Uche. Andre Bikey started as central defender and Vieira moved into midfield. Lanzarote began as Balwant Singh’s partner in front but dropped deep to find mates in dangerous areas with passes that were full of possibilities. In first-half stoppage time, he fired a Viera pass that nutmegged an FC Pune City player and missed Kamaljit Singh’s goal by not much.
“He showed different qualities tonight, dropping deep, making passes. I think he invested a lot of himself in the game. It was the best I have seen him play this season,” ATK coach Steve Coppell said after the match.
If ATK could not score more it was because they lacked physicality in front of goal and because the quality of delivery was mostly ordinary.
This was ATK’S first win against FC Pune, who stay on two points after seven games, since November 27, 2015.