Pune manage to hold ATK to 2-2 draw in nail-biting contest
PUNE: An engaging tie between FC Pune City and ATK ended 2-2 but play-off hopes for either side took a beating in the Hero Indian Super League here on Sunday.
Pune took the lead in a see-saw tussle through Marko Stankovic’s deflected strike (17). A superb goal from Jayesh Rane (23) and a penalty by Edu Garcia (61) looked to have turned the tables in ATK’S favour but Robin Singh scored a header (73) to help Pune clinch a point.
ATK lost the chance to move within a point of fourth-placed Northeast United and stay sixth with 21 points from 15 matches while Pune City’s slim hopes of reaching the top-four also ended.
With a victory the need of the hour for both sides, an end-to-end game of football unfolded and ATK came out all guns blazing.
Marko Stankovic had an effort in the very second minute but his shot went inches over the bar. Edu Garcia too came close when his shot from the edge of the box struck the crossbar on its way out. However, it were Pune who took the lead thanks to a Stankovic shot from range which took a wicked deflection off John Johnson’s trailing leg and nestled in the back of the net.
The lead didn’t last long as Jayesh broke down the left wing, only to cut in and curl an exquisite shot into the far top corner.
In the 25th minute, ATK could have surged ahead when Lanzarote’s volleyed effort was headed clear by Sahil Panwar which almost sneaked into the net.
At the half hour mark, Everton Santos attempted an overhead kick which went inches over the bar from a Lanzarote free-kick. The Kolkata side upped the ante as they committed more men forward while Pune preferred to sit back and hit on the counter.