League

BLAZING FIRE
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Angabhu Sangma took the kick off in the first half of the match. In the 4th minute, Dhanajita Subba 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. When the match clock showed 12 minutes, the score became 1-0 when Dhanajita Subba sped through Newton Heath FC's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Jalasa Warwaha. Jalasa Warwaha showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Harikanta Dango in the 16th minute of the match. In the 29th minute Angabhu Sangma shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Dhavalapaksa Saxena saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Dhanajita Subba blasted a shot towards the goal in the 31st minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Jalasa Warwaha having to make a save. Jalasa Warwaha made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Dhanajita Subba in the 33rd minute of play. After 34 minutes Newton Heath FC's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Danasagara Rane who took care of the corner kick. Danasagara Rane made a great header on Phoenix Fire's corner, it was just that Newton Heath FC's Jalasa Warwaha managed to reach the ball for a save. If Dhanajita Subba had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 36th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Jalasa Warwaha made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Dhanajita Subba in the 41st minute of play. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Danasagara Rane in the 43rd managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Jalasa Warwaha saved Newton Heath FC from getting behind.

The wind increased when Dhanajita Subba made the kick off in the second half. If Dhanajita Subba had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 52nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Desaraj Virdee fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 56th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Dhavalapaksa Saxena having to interfere. After 58 minutes, Indrapriya Thiara mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Phoenix Fire and the Newton Heath FC players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 57th minute, one of Phoenix Fire:s players had the ball in front of the goal but got pushed and fell. The referee felt it was an obvious case and blew a penalty for Phoenix Fire. The goalkeeper, Dhavalapaksa Saxena, was totally fooled by Newton Heath FC's Kalijan Sra, who 59 minutes into the game made a penalty shot that went in on the goalkeeper's left side. The referee blew the whistle for a penalty in the 65th minute of the game. One of Phoenix Fire:s players had nearly got his shirt torn off by an opponent while getting free in front of Newton Heath FC:s goal. Phoenix Fire's Dhavalapaksa Saxena proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 73rd minute of the match, managed to save Phoenix Fire from getting a goal against them. In the 79th minute, Dhanajita Subba 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. Jalasa Warwaha made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Aparajisnu Sharma in the 81st minute of play. Newton Heath FC's Jalasa Warwaha played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Dhanajita Subba in the 86th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Dhanajita Subba in the 87th minute of play forced Newton Heath FC's goalkeeper Jalasa Warwaha to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 90th minute of the match Phoenix Fire got a corner. Newton Heath FC's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Danasagara Rane ran over to the corner to take the kick. A very nice done corner allowed Aparajisnu Sharma to score against Jalasa Warwaha in Newton Heath FC's goal. 3-2 after 90 minutes. In the 100th minute Dhanajita Subba shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Jalasa Warwaha saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered when the referee blew the final whistle. Phoenix Fire had won after a very even match.