League

Den of Lion
Spectators: 7407 (Terracing: 5782, Seating: 1575, VIP seats: 50) The Lions's Buddhadeb Ralte 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. 3 minutes into the match, The Lions's goal looked a bit too open when Citrakarman Nijjar came free, but Asirisa Chana reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. With 4 minutes on the clock, Jatya Talib commited a dangerous tackle. The referee had no choice but to show him the red card. In the 3rd minute, one of Malvern City: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 Malvern City. When the match had been going on for 6 minutes, The Lions's Nirmla Agrawal got an opportunity to shoot a penalty. He stayed cool and waited for the goalkeeper to move, before he confidently shot the ball into the goal, to the left of Dharmamandhu Phom. Bhagaratha Takhar received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 9th minute. Asirisa Chana tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Asirisa Chana showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Desaka Dhotre in the 10th minute of the match. In the 12th minute Buddhadeb Ralte shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Dharmamandhu Phom saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Bhagaratha Takhar received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 14th minute. Asirisa Chana tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Bhagaratha Takhar received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 17th minute. Asirisa Chana tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 19th minute, The Lions's Buddhadeb Ralte ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Dharmamandhu Phom. Dharmamandhu Phom yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 2-0. When Shyamal Narindra came up free with the goalie in the 23rd minute, the Malvern City fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Shyamal Narindra couldn't finish the play. Bhagaratha Takhar took the ball and in the 25 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Asirisa Chana. Asirisa Chana dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 2-1. Bhagaratha Takhar fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 31st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Asirisa Chana having to interfere. Malvern City's Bhagaratha Takhar got a good chance for a goal in the 34th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Shyamal Narindra recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 36th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. The supporters of Malvern City booed when The Lions was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 37 match minutes in a wonderful position. Aveesh Iyer didn't get a good kick on the ball. Bhagaratha Takhar struck a weak shot in the 40th minute. Asirisa Chana didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Malvern City. In the 47th minute Bhagaratha Takhar shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Asirisa Chana saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Bhagaratha Takhar to strike the kick off in the second half. Malvern City's Kakubjaya Virdee got a good chance for a goal in the 53rd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Bhagaratha Takhar sent away a hard shot on goal in the 55th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Asirisa Chana made a fantastic save in the 57th minute, when Desaka Dhotre sent off a good shot on target. In the 57th match minute, The Lions was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Kulabhusana Bisla to maneuver through the defense. Bhagaratha Takhars short, quick shot in the 64thth minute got Asirisa Chana to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. Asirisa Chana stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Kakubjaya Virdee's shot from short distance in the 65th minute. After a rather tough play, The Lions's Jayprakash Ghai got a free kick in the 65th minute. 67 minutes into the game, Malvern City's Bhagaratha Takhar nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Asirisa Chana made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 2-3. 71 minutes into the match, The Lions's Aveesh Iyer sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Dharmamandhu Phom narrowly saved just below the crossbar. After some fancy dribbling in the 73rd minute, Aveesh Iyer managed to get in a good position for a shot. The Lions's supporters rose to their feet, but Aveesh Iyer was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Dharmamandhu Phom breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Aveesh Iyer recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 75th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Bhagaratha Takhar sent away a hard shot on goal in the 77th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Asirisa Chana made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Admani Pant in the 79th minute of play. When Jayprakash Ghai fell near the penalty area in the 79th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored The Lions's protests and gave Jayprakash Ghai a yellow card for diving instead. Jayprakash Ghai hit a great freekick 79 minutes into the match. The audience thought a goal was coming when Bhagaratha Takhar got free with Asirisa Chana in the 80th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. The Lions's Asirisa Chana proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 84th minute of the match, managed to save The Lions from getting a goal against them. Bhagaratha Takhar sent away a hard shot on goal in the 86th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. If Kakubjaya Virdee had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 88th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Bhagaratha Takhar fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 89th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Asirisa Chana having to interfere. Aveesh Iyer's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Dharmamandhu Phom read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 92nd minute of play. When the match was over Malvern City could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than The Lions throughout the match.