ISL: Delhi maintain top spot with 17 points
New Delhi: Delhi Dynamos maintained their unbeaten run at home despite playing the entire second half with 10 men, as they rallied twice to hold Atletico de Kolkata 2-2 in an enthralling Indian Super Lague (ISL) football match here on Sunday. Iain Hume put the visitors ahead when he found the target in the 17th minute, as Atletico de Kolkata went at the break with their nose ahead.
Delhi Dynamos found the equaliser through Milan Singh’s rasping left-footed volley in the 63rd minute. Spain’s Javier Lara Grande again made it 2-1 in favour of ATK when he stuck in the 71st minute to silence the 19000-odd crowd.
Having missed a penalty a few moments ago, Dynamos skipper Florent Malouda showed the way when he helped his team make another comeback by scoring in the 74th minute. Atletico de Kolkata grabbed the lead in the 17th minute when Iain Hume, the ISL’s highest scorer, placed the ball perfectly off an excellent through by Sameehg Douti.
Dynamos remained on top with 17 points, while Atletico also maintained their fourth position with 13 points in their kitty.
The Scot, who was felled in by Anas Edathodika in the very first minute of the match, received the ball and with his second touch, curled it past Antonio Doblas despite having a man marked for him. Hume’s experienced helped him execute it to perfection.
There was also action just before the deadlock was broken at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Dynamos’ inspirational skipper Florent Malouda got the better of his counterpart Borja Fernandez, Jewel Raja and floated a long ball but Marcelinho, who was running free, failed to control the ball as he got too much power on his first touch.
Barely a minute later, Douti managed to find plenty of space from the right, but his ball to Hume could not be effective as Anas Edathodika was there to provide cover.
The season’s one of the most impressive players, Marcelinho, from the left, ran with the ball towards the box dribbling past two Atletico defenders and Borja before firing in a shot, but the ATK skipper came back with a sliding effort to thwart the Brazilian.
Receiving a pass at the edge of the box from Kean Francis Lewis, Milan Singh then launched into a power-packed left-footer from nowhere to bring the scores level in the 63rd minute.
Dynamos’ joy was shortlived as substitute Javier Lara Grande put ATK in the lead again when the unmarked Spanish midfielder smashed one past a hapless Doblas.
Atletico could not rejoice for long as Malouda made amends for his spotkick blunder by finding the back of the net off David Addy’s assist in the 74th minute. ATK coach Jose Molina was not at all impressed with the insipid defending. Atletico were not helped by an injury to Doutie who was stretchered off the field during a crucial phase of the match. The last time the two teams played this season, ATK emerged a 1-0 winner on the back of Hume’s successful spotkick. (PTI)