Guwahati: Debutants Jamshedpur FC held hosts NorthEast United FC (NUFC) to a goalless draw in their campaign opener of ISL IV at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, here on Saturday.
With the opening match of this edition on Friday, between ATK and Kerala Blasters, also ending barren, ISL IV is yet to see goals.
Despite having better ball possession right from the beginning and creating several openings for themselves, the hosts missed the net on all opportunities due to lack of precision in finishing. Luck too was on the side of the visitors as shots which managed to beat Jamshedpur ’keeper Subrata Paul got deflected from the upright.
Both the teams started with similar formations, using just one man upfront. While Jamshedpur FC coach Steve Coppell fielded both Sameehg Doutie and Trinidade Goncalves with Izu Azuka as the lone striker, his NorthEast counterpart Joao Carlos Pires de Deus fielded Seminlen Doungel and Odair with Marcinho playing just behind striker Danilo.
Opportunity came the home side’s way as early as the fourth minute which Brazilian midfielder Marcinho wasted. The unmarked Marcinho got a pass from Swiss defender Jose Goncalves right inside the box. He took the ball down well, but blasted it high and over the woodwork.
The next chance was in the 12th minute when Seiminlen Doungel got the ball in the box. But his feeble left-footer was well deflected by stopper Souvik Chakrabarti.
Towards the end of the first half, the visitors mounted pressure on NUFC. However, the home side’s defence stood rock solid.
Three minutes before the breather, Jamshedpur’s Sameehg Doutie passed from the right top corner of the box to find Jerry Mawihmingthanga unmarked. However, NUFC skipper Robert Lalthlamuana was alert enough to clear it.
The visitors started the second half aggressively. But that was for a brief period, and soon NUFC took back control of the proceedings.
The hosts once again missed the net in the 60th minute when Marcinho managed to beat the rival defence with a superb through ball and striker Danilo Lopes found himself on a one-on-one chance with an onrushing Paul. But Lopes’s attempt to chip the ball onto the second post was off target.
Lopes took a couple of more shots at the target in the subsequent 10 minutes, but the experienced Paul was up to the challenge making some brilliant saves.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 78th minute when referee Tejas Visvasrao Nagvenkar booked Jamshedpur coach Steve Coppell’s second half reinforcement Andre Bikey with a red card for a dangerous tackle on Luis Alfanso. The subsequent altercations also fetched a yellow for Doutie.
