2nd Division League: Matchday 2 [16/01-19/01]

Jamshedpur FC [R] feel the heat at The Furnace, Howrah Show for ATK [R] and South United FC script a miraculous comeback at the end of Matchday 2.

ARA FC start their debut campaign in style

Group A, Ahmedabad, 16 January 2019: ARA FC 4-3 Hindustan FC

ARA FC’s captain Syed Shoaib Ahmed scored a fantastic hat-trick to help his team win against Hindustan FC in the first game of their 2nd Division League campaign at home.

It was the visitors who took the lead early in the 12th minute when Franco Paul capitalised on a goalkeeping error. The advantage was nullified in the 28th minute from a goal by Shoaib Ahmed for the home side and teams went into the half-time break tied at 1-1

In the second half, the Gujarat-based side ARA won a penalty which was converted by the captain and they followed it up with another goal by Amey Bhatkal to make it 3-1.

Not to be undone, the Delhi-based Hindustan FC scored two quick goals in succession to make it 3-3 courtesy goals by Maruf Fazly and Franco Paul.

The game looked like it was heading towards an impasse until the ARA skipper popped up again to score his third of the night in the 87th minute to help his team secure all three points.

Bengaluru FC B show no reservations

Group A, Bambolim, 16 January 2019: FC Goa (R) 1-4 Bengaluru FC (R)

Fresh from clinching the BDFA Super Division title, BFC B made quick work of FC Goa Reserves to go top of Group A in a game which came to life in the second half.

With a brace and an assist, Altamesh Sayed was the star turn for the Bengaluru FC developmental side. Both sides were cautious in the first half and went into half-time on level pegging.

In the 51st minute, Naorem Roshan Singh opened the scoring for the Blues, but the lead was nullified by an equaliser from FC Goa’s Aaren D’Silva. A quick brace in span of four minutes by Altamesh Sayed saw Bengaluru FC B go 3-1 up and a fourth goal by Leon Augustine in the 83rd minute sealed the deal for the Blue Colts.

Group A Table

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Bengaluru FC B	1	1	0	0	4	1	+3	3
2	ARA FC	1	1	0	0	4	3	+1	3
3	Hindustan FC	1	0	0	1	3	4	−1	0
4	FC Goa Reserves	1	0	0	1	1	4	−3	0
5	Lonestar Kashmir	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Jamshedpur FC [R] feel the heat at The Furnace

Group C, 17 January 2019, Jamshedpur: Jamshedpur FC (R) 0-1 Chhinga Veng FC

Jamshedpur FC Reserves lost again at home and find themselves at the bottom of Group C at the end of Matchday 2 of the 2nd Division League.

The reserves dominated possession in the first half, but conceded from a counter-attacking move by the visitors with Lalliansanga scoring in the 35th minute.

Jamshedpur had an opportunity in the 40th minute to level the scores when a penalty was awarded, but the reserves captain Billu Teli failed to make it count from the spot.

The Reserves continued to dominate possession, but Chhinga Veng FC held on to pick up their first win of the season.

Even Flow in the Kolkata Derby

Group C, Kolkata, 17 January 2019: Rainbow AC 1-1 Mohammedan SC

Rainbow AC endured the Mohammedan SC attack to steal a point in the Kolkata Derby.

It was Rainbow AC who took the lead from a Sourav Roy strike as early as in the fourth minute. Mohammedan poured forward in search of an equaliser and created chances at will, but could not find the finishing touch.

Eventually, the Rainbow AC resistance wore off when they conceded a penalty for a handball offence inside the box. The Ghanian forward Philip Adjah stepped up and scored from the spot in the 88th minute to level the scores.

On the balance of play, Mohammedan deserved to pick up all three points, but it just wasn’t their day. Both the Kolkata teams are yet to win a game this season after playing two games apiece.

Howrah Show for ATK against TRAU FC

Group C, Kolkata, 17 January 2019: ATK (R) 2-3 TRAU FC

The Nigerian Prince-willed the visiting TRAU FC to their second consecutive win in the league at the Howrah Stadium. The forward scored a brace and is the top scorer in the league with three goals from two appearances.

As early as in the 4th minute, Princewill pounced on a weak back pass by ATK’s Brandon and scored to put his team in the lead. ATK got back in the game five minutes later after the winger Azar smashed the ball in to the top corner of the net to level the scores.

TRAU FC went into the lead again in 35th minute (Goalscorer: Naocha) and went into the break leading by a goal. ATK found their way back in the game again in the 60th minute from a goal by Thomyo.

With the scores level, it was Princewill who found himself at the end of a cross and promptly netted the ball in to make it 3-2 in favour of the Manipuri side.

Group C Table

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	TRAU FC	2	2	0	0	4	2	+2	6
2	Chhinga Veng	2	1	1	0	1	0	+1	4
3	ATK Reserves	2	1	0	1	4	3	+1	3
4	Rainbow AC	2	0	2	0	1	1	0	2
5	Mohammedan	2	0	1	1	1	3	−2	1
6	Jamshedpur FC Reserves	2	0	0	2	0	2	−2	0

SUFC salvage a point after almost going down south

Group B, Chennai, 19 January 2019: Chennaiyin (R) 3-3 South United

The Chennaiyin Reserves went 3-0 up 16 minutes into the game. After taking the lead in the 11th minute courtesy Krishna Pandit, a brace in three minutes by the Mizo striker Bawlte Rohmingthanga saw Chennaiyin all set to pick up three points.

But South United to their credit fought back. Their revival started with them getting a goal back in the 22nd minute thanks to Sudipta Malakar. It didn’t look promising as the first half ended with SUFC trailing by two goals.

It was Celtus Paul who was signed from Bengaluru FC B this season who scored from the spot in the 70th minute and scored again late at the end of regulation time in the 89th minute to level the scores and salvage a point for the South United side.

Commendably, the equaliser came after South United were reduced to 10 men for the last 15 minutes.

‘Fateh’ Hyderabad usurp Kerala Blasters in Kochi

Group B, Kochi, 19 January 2019: Kerala Blasters (R) 0-1 Fateh Hyderabad

Fateh Hyderabad got their campaign off to a winning start by narrowly beating Kerala Blasters Reserves in Kochi yesterday.

The teams were on even keel at the end of the first half with neither team breaking the deadlock. A second half goal by the Ghanian midfielder Edmond Peprah saw Fateh take the lead.

A penalty awarded to Kerala Blasters threatened to change the story of the game, but the Fateh keeper saved it and the team from Hyderabad held on to pick up all three points.

Group B Table

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Fateh Hyderabad	1	1	0	0	1	0	+1	3
2	Ozone FC	1	1	0	0	1	0	+1	3
3	Chennaiyin FC Reserves	2	0	2	0	3	3	0	2
4	South United FC	2	0	1	1	3	4	−1	1
5	Kerala Blasters Reserves	2	0	1	1	0	1	−1	1