FC Pune City beat Jamshedpur FC at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur on Sunday courtesy of a 1-0 score-line. Midfielder Adil Khan grabbed the only goal of the match in the first half as the league debutants suffered their first ever defeat four days after picking up their first win.

The Stallions kept more of the ball to begin with and took the attack to the hosts, but Jamshedpur soon grew into the game and fashioned attacks of their own. Siddharth Singh brought out a save from Pune custodian Vishal Kaith in the 16th minute when the latter did well to come off his line and block a shot from a tight angle.

It was the visitors however, who grabbed the lead on the stroke of half-hour. Marcelinho floated in a free-kick from the edge of the penalty box and Jamshedpur defender Andre Bikey could only manage a weak header away. The ball came to Khan, who expertly volleyed it into goal as Subrata Paul and the league debutants conceded for the first time this season.

That spurred on Jamshedpur as they surged forward with attacks. They thought they had equalised just before half time when Izu Azuka found the back of the net with his header from a cross. He was ruled offside however. Instead, the half ended with Pune maintaining their slender one-goal advantage.

After the restart, Pune were on the front foot from the word go and had two glorious opportunities in the opening three minutes. First Isaac Vanmalsawna was denied a goal from his shot only by an incredible last-ditch block by Souvik Chakrabarti in the 47th minute, while a minute later, Diego Carlo’s shot following a good run on the left just flashed wide of the far post.

Jamshedpur themselves had a great chance to equalise in the 76th minute when the ball came to Shouvik Ghosh following a melee from a free-kick. The home team though would have preferred a striker taking the shot as he blasted the ball over goal.

Ten minutes from full time the visitors found themselves a man down when Lalchhuanmawia Fanai’s challenge on substitute Ashim Biswas earned him a second yellow. Biswas then had his header from Farukh Choudhary’s cross saved by Pune custodian Kaith in the 88th minute. That proved to be the last piece of action from the match, as Jamshedpur succumbed to their first defeat in the league with 10-men-Pune edging them 1-0.

MATCH AWARDS

Club Award: FC Pune City

Swift Moment of the Match: Adil Khan

DHL Winning Pass of the Match: Marcelinho

Amul Fittest Player: Bikash Jairu

Emerging Player: Souvik Chakrabarti

Hero of the Match: Marcos Tebar