League

Golden Bird Park
Spectators: 6773 (Terracing: 5000, Seating: 1773, VIP seats: 0) Buntingford's Aryika Gandhi started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. Ajina Ghai could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 3rd minute of the match, but Krtamukha Sikand made a huge save. Krtamukha Sikand made an important save on a dangerous shot by Ajina Ghai in the 5th minute. Aryika Gandhi blasted a shot towards the goal in the 8th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Akama Bal having to make a save. When Buntingford's Aryika Gandhi in the 10th minute got a chance for a shot 10th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye India's goalie prevented a goal. In the 11th minute, Aryika Gandhi got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. In the 13th minute Aryika Gandhi shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Akama Bal saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Anrita Rai in the 15th minute of play forced India's goalkeeper Akama Bal to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The audience was convinced that Aryika Gandhi's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Akama Bal was relentless in the 17th minute of the game. After a rather tough play, Buntingford's Anrita Rai got a free kick in the 19th minute. After recieving a nice pass, India's Ramkrishnan Sahni tried to score from far away in the 20th minute, but the ball went over the crossbar. Akama Bal took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Aryika Gandhi, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Buntingford's defense didn't have a chance, in the 27th minute, when Sunder Nahal scored to the left of an out of position Krtamukha Sikand, making the score, 1-0. Akama Bal made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Dara Lanong in the 32nd minute of play. Akama Bal showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Aryika Gandhi in the 33rd minute of the match. Dara Lanong recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 34th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Ajina Ghai received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 36th minute. Krtamukha Sikand tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After some fancy dribbling in the 40th minute, Aryika Gandhi managed to get in a good position for a shot. Buntingford's supporters rose to their feet, but Aryika Gandhi was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Akama Bal breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. 42 minutes into the match, Buntingford's Aryika Gandhi sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Akama Bal narrowly saved just below the crossbar. 43 minutes into the game, Sunder Nahal was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. India's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Buntingford the free kick. The supporters of Buntingford booed when India was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 43 match minutes in a wonderful position. Sunder Nahal didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 44th minute, Dara Lanong ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Akama Bal was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-1. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Alin Toor stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Dara Lanong's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 52ndth minute, Akama Bal skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. Avanikanta Sarang's late challenge caught a Buntingford's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Avanikanta Sarang helped the player get up and apologised. After a rather tough play, India's Avanikanta Sarang got a free kick in the 54th minute. When the match had gone on for 56 minutes, Aryika Gandhi took a quick shot and it went in 1-2 without a chance for Akama Bal to make any attempt to save it. Buntingford's Aryika Gandhi got a good chance for a goal in the 59th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Aryika Gandhi fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 61st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Akama Bal having to interfere. Dara Lanong recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 64th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. When Sunder Nahal was, once again, overly rough in his play he received his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. 65 minutes had been played. Dara Lanong fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 68th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Akama Bal having to interfere. Aryika Gandhi struck a weak shot in the 73rd minute. Akama Bal didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Buntingford. Aryika Gandhi sent away a hard shot on goal in the 75th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. In the 79th minute, Dara Lanong ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Akama Bal was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-3. India's Akama Bal played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Aryika Gandhi in the 84th minute of play. 96 minutes into the match, India's goal looked a bit too open when Aryika Gandhi came free, but Akama Bal reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. When the match was over Buntingford could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than India throughout the match.