Jamshedpur FC put in a resilient performance to post a 1-0 win against SC East Bengal to reach the top of the Hero Indian Super League 2021-22 league table with 19 points.
The Men of Steel scored via a towering header from Inshan Pandita in the 88th minute at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim, Goa, on Tuesday evening. The 3 points from the outing allowed Owen Coyle’s men to leapfrog the competition and reach the top spot. Pandita also scored a goal in injury time which helped Jamshedpur beat Northeast United FC by a solitary goal in the pevious match. The super sub seems to have developed a liking for scoring late winners for his club.
The early exchanges saw both teams create half chances as there was little to separate them. Arindam Bhattacharja was called into action in the 27th minute after Murray found space behind the defensive line. The goalkeeper did well to leave the box and make the clearance. No major scoring chances fell to either team until the half-hour mark.
Jamshedpur FC started the second half on the front foot with Jordan Murray hitting the crossbar with a looping header. Influential defender Adil Khan had to be replaced just before the hour mark by Darren Sidoel due to an injury. Murray then had another shot saved by Arindam who parried the ball away with a strong right hand.
The last 15-minutes saw JFC attack with more intensity. Murray was again on target in the 85th minute but his right-footed shot lacked the power to beat the SCEB custodian. However, it was Ishan Pandita yet again who scored a late goal to break SCEB hearts. The striker scored with a precise header after meeting with Greg Stewart’s corner. Pandita’s goal was enough to secure the win and propel JFC to the top of the league table.
On Ishan Pandita scoring another late winner, head coach Owen said: "That’s why I brought him to the football club. He is a wonderful player and is going to get better. Now, you see he is free-flowing, he is moving well. He had couple of chances before we actually got the goal. He’s a natural finisher and if he continues to add to and improve his all-round game, the national team is going to have a fantastic No. 9, that’s for sure. He is a great kid, everyone adores him because of the quality he has. He is a team player, so I can’t speak highly enough about him."
Thoughts on how difficult it was to break East Bengal’s defence, Owen added the Red and Gold almost got a point from the game, if Ishan wasn’t there. He also spoke highly of East Bengal and he knew it was going to be difficult to break their defence.
Jamshedpur top the table with 19 points (11 matches, 5 wins, 4 draws, 2 losses) while Kerala Blasters FC are placed second with 17 points (10 matches, 4 wins, 5 draws, 1 loss. Mumbai City FC are third with 17 points (11 matches, 5 wins, 2 draws, 4 losses). East Bengal, on the other hand, languish at the bottom of the table with 6 points (11 matches, 0 wins, 6 draws, 5 losses.
Jamshedpur FC will next face high-flying Hyderabad FC at the Athletic Stadium on Monday. SC East Bengal meets Derrick Pereira’s FC Goa at the same venue on Wednesday.
