Pune FC Reserves suffered shootout heartbreak going down 5-4 to AG’s Office RC, Tamil Nadu and ended their campaign in the prequarterfinal round of the Don Bosco-Fr. McFerran Trophy at the Don Bosco Youth Centre Ground in Chennai on Monday.
In a hard fought physical battle, AG’s ORC took the lead in the 43rd minute, before striker Shoaib Syed pulled Pune FC level in the 48th minute.
The opponents ended the game after their keeper was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Pune FC youngster Lalremruata who was hospitalised having suffered a concussion.
Pune FC began the game on the positive and created a few close chances in the first half, but some poor finishing in the final third from attackers Lalremruata, Pemba Rai and Shoaib kept the score unchanged.
It was the AG’s ORC, however, who took the lead against the run of play in the 44th minute. Depite a foul on Lalremruata, the referee waived play on. Sensing that Lalremruata was lying on the ground needing attention, Pune FC keeper Avilash Paul sent the ball out of play. However, in doing so, he was pulled up for a handball just outside the box. On the resulting freekick, the opponents scored to take a one goal lead into the breather.
The situation egged on Pune FC who scored within three minutes of restart. Midfielder Snehashis Chakraborty, Lalremruata and Shoaib combined in the box and earned a penalty kick for a handball from an opponent.
Striker Shoaib stepped up and converted from the spot to pull Pune FC level. Pune FC kept on pushing ahead thereafter but the opponents held on and defended deep.
The controversial situation took place in the 89th minute when Lalremruata went into the clear inside the rival half. The opponent’s custodian in a one-on-one situation came out and kicked Lalremruata in the face to knock him out. While the keeper was sent off, Lalremruata who suffered a concussion was rushed to the hospital.
Meanwhile, with both sides failing to get the winner, the game progressed into the dreaded penalty shootout where Pune FC fell short. While Shoaib, Omega V and Mumtaz Akhtar converted from the spot, misses from Snehashis and Tapas Pal proved costly for Pune FC.
