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Buzzing on the back of their 6-0 thrashing of Sher-e-Punjab four days earlier, Minerva Academy FC took to the field against International FC for their first game in the Punjab Super League II.
It was a familiar looking first-team for Minerva Academy FC, as Surinder Singh – the technical director of coaching at Minerva – replaced Yan Law on the touchline.
The game had a good flow to it in the opening minutes, with both sides having decent spells of possession, but the away team were winning more aerial duels and looked physically more adept.
It was the characteristic 4-3-3 formation for Minerva Academy FC, but the front three of Nikhil Mali, Victor Ekombong and Radhakanta were unable to make much of an impact, and the pendulum was slowly swinging in International’s favor, as they piled on the pressure at the other end.
Surinder Singh decided to make an early tactical substitution. Ekomobong’s afternoon didn’t even last thirty minutes, and was replaced by Mohit Sharma to play through the centre, and Minerva Academy FC instantly looked more coordinated in attack.
However, they were guilty of giving away cheap possession and making mistakes in dangerous positions in the first half, and it finally cost them dear just before half time, when a shot came in from right. Suraj Mallick was well positioned to save it at the near post, but he spilled it, and it fell kindly to a yellow shirt for an easy tap-in.
International FC went into halftime with a well deserved 1-0 lead.
It was no surprise that there was a substitution for Minerva Academy FC before the start of the second half. Subham Chetry, who did not have a very impressive first half from midfield, was replaced by Sreyas G – the tall striker who had two goals to his name back in the 2018/19 AFC Cup for Minerva Academy FC.
The change meant that Radhakanta moved into midfield and Mohit shifted to the right, and Minerva Academy finally looked their sharpest selves again in the second half – controlling the tempo and keeping possession. The home team kept getting progressively better as the game wore on, and they came very close to equalising when Nikhil Mali’s cross was met by Sreyas, who acrobatically struck the ball and hit the crossbar.
Minerva Academy’s persistence was eventually rewarded, when Lalrinchanna scooped the ball through the centre and Mohit Sharma was in behind the two centre halves. He was through on goal and a tug of his jersey led to the refereee pointing to the spot for a penalty.
Minerva’s Academy’s Anwar Ali stepped up for it and a few moments later, the goalkeeper was picking the ball out of his net. He had guessed the right way, but Anwar’s penalty was strong and precise to the keeper’s left.
It was 1-1 in the 72nd minute.
More pressure followed from the home team, as their hold on the game strengthened, and it was in the 89th minute that they played the winning move. A low cross from Nikhil Pal was driven into the box and Sreyas was on the end of it to swing it home with his left foot.
It was 2-1 – International FC looked tired and helpless, and it didn’t take very long for Minerva Academy to pounce and kill the game off. Mohit, very direct and full of running, sent a cross in and Sreyas was there again to tap it in for his second goal and Minerva’s third in injury time.
In a game of two halves, the final score was 3-1 and Minerva Academy registered their first win in the Punjab Second Division. They will now look to build on this, as an 11-day rest period is followed by their next fixture on January 6 in Amritsar.
