I-League 2015/16: Douhou Pierre strike wins Maharashtra derby for DSK as Mumbai’s unbeaten run ends

Starting Lineups:

Languishing at the bottom of the table with one point from four games and drawing a blank in the goal-scored column, DSK Shivajians coach Derrick Pereira went for drastic changes making five changes to the side that lost away against defending champions Mohun Bagan. Surchandra, Thorat, Molnagiri, Don Bosco and Israil Gurung came in for Indrajeet, Zohmingliana, Milan, Lalhmangaihsanga and Cameroonian striker Aser Pierrick Dipanda.

Two back-to-back corners for the away side started what were frantic opening minutes for the home side. With headers going wide of the goal, DSK breathed a sigh of relief and pushed forward in search of their first goal of the season. Douhou Pierre dictated the passage of the play from there on releasing Israil Gurung on the right flank to cause problems in the Mumbai defence.

A brilliant bit of football at both ends of the ground in the next minute opened the gate for the home side’s first goal in the league. Arata Izumi and Kozawa exchanged a quick one-two between each other to put the former with a chance for a goal, but Izumi’s shot was expertly kept out by Subrata Paul, who threw the ball to Surchandra Singh to start a counter attack. The Manipur midfielder put Douhou Pierre to run at the defence, and the Ivorian muscled his way to finish the goal from the edge of the six-yard box.

DSK came out as a different side for the second half and opted to protect their lead than going for another goal to put the match to bed. The tactic from the home side brought attack after attack from Mumbai FC with DSK’s midfield nonexistent. Eric Brown tested Subrata Paul twice in a minute with long range shots to assert the away side’s attacking intent. With all the attacking play Mumbai had in the second half, they never created any clear cut chance to beat the Pune side’s custodian.

Coach Khalid Jamil pushed his team forward in the search of an equaliser in the last ten minutes, only to see the home side’s defence standing tall against all the attacks from Mumbai. DSK held their nerves in the final few minutes to see off Mumbai FC to register their first win of the season.