ISL vs I-League: FC Pune City outclass Mohun Bagan 4-1 in a pre-season friendly

A brace from Emiliano Alfaro helped FC Pune City register a thumping win over Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan....

(ISL) side thrashed giants 4-1 in a pre-season friendly match in Pune on Monday. Emiliano Alfaro struck twice and Ajay Singh and Isaac Vanmalsawma scored one goal each for the home team, while Dipanda Dicka struck the only goal for the Kolkata-based side.

Coach Sanjay Sen fielded his team in a 4-4-2 formation with foreign players in action. Star player Sony Norde played his first match for Mohun Bagan this season. Rana Gharami partnered Eze Kingsley in the central defence, while Australian midfielder Diogo started in the central midfield alongside Raynier Fernandes. Narohari Shrestha was paired up front with Dipanda Dicka.

The hosts started the game with a 4-3-3 formation, lining Marcelinho, Emiliano Alfaro and Robertino Pugliara upfront.

The match was even-steven for the first half an hour until Pune scored broke the deadlock. Emiliano Alfaro scored from the penalty spot before the teams went into the break.

Alfaro scored another goal from open play early in the second half. Substitute Ajay Singh increased the lead further and sealed the fate of the game.

Dipanda Dicka pulled one back for the Green and Maroons around the 70th-minute mark but the final nail in Bagan’s coffin was hammered in by Isaac Vanmalsawma minutes before full time.

After beating 2-1 last week in a friendly, Pune have now defeated another Kolkata giant Mohun Bagan convincingly. The performance of Pune’s front three, Alfaro in particular, will be a great boost for the side ahead of the ISL season 4 which starts from November 17.