Kolkata: Goals may have come thick and fast in the Indian Super League this season but not for Jamshedpur FC , who until the match against Delhi Dynamos had remained the only franchise to have not scored a goal. Things seemed to be going the same way at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Wednesday, with Andre Bikey failing to convert a penalty. But Nigerian Izu Azuka broke the jinx finally, with a well placed header on the 61st minute, ensuring the ‘Men of Steel’ went home with their first three points and a goal.
Desperate for a goal perhaps more than a win, Steve Coppell brought in Matheus Goncalves and Izu Azuka inplace the more experienced duo of Kervens Belfort and Sameehg Doutie. While Miguel Angel included first match hero Lallianzuala Chhangte in the line-up.
It was a similar battle on the other side of the field, with the Dynamos looking to get back to winning ways after two back to back defeats against Bengaluru and NorthEast United. Playing at home, the ‘Lions’ got off to a cracking start with Chhangte causing all sort of problems in the Jamshedpur defence. Captain Tiri even got booked for a reckless tackle on the Mizo boy at the edge of the box.
With a Spaniard at the helm, Delhi has played more of a possession based football and it was the same against Jamshedpur with the home side enjoying 65% of the ball and surprisingly had no fouls in the first-half. The ‘Pride of Capital’ as a result of some creative play nearly took the lead, having put the ball inside the net, but scorer Kalu Ulche was judged offside as both the sides went into the break, goalless.
If the first half belonged to Delhi, the away team made a comeback in the second, with some surging runs through the channels, often threatening the Dynamos goal. Their preservance was soon rewarded when Pratik Chowdhary fouled Azuka in the box. Andre Bikey however made a complete mess out of the resulting spot-kick.
The away fans nonetheless, breathed a sigh of relief when the Izu scored one in the 61st minute from a long Mehtab free-kick from the half-way line. Celebrations had already began as Jamshedpur held on to the narrow lead, sealing their first victory in the ISL. It was a double bonanza for the fans who were deprived of a win coupled with a goal they had been waiting for infinity.