Jamshedpur FC tasted success for the first time in this season of the Indian Super League as Rei Tachikawa’s fantastic free-kick helped them beat Hyderabad FC 1-0 at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on Thursday.
The opening half was an engaging affair and the deadlock not being broken until the 76th minute of the game. The two teams needed greater decisiveness upfront, as several goal-scoring chances were not converted in the first 45 minutes.
Eight minutes into the match, the Jamshedpur FC duo of Elson José Dias Júnior and Jérémy Manzorro took longer than usual to clear the ball inside their penalty area. Monzorro misplaced a pass that steered towards Mohammad Yasir, stationed slightly outside the 18-yard box. Yasir unleashed a firm shot but hit it straight to goalkeeper TP Rehenesh.
Finnish midfielder Petteri Pennanen pulled off a laudable effort but he was denied by Rehenesh’s sharp reflexes. The goalkeeper helped Jamshedpur keep their opponents at bay. However, it could have turned out differently if Joe Knowles had capitalised on the rebound. Unfortunately for Hyderabad, the winger could not pounce upon the chance from less than five yards away from goal.
Substitutes Mohammed Sanan, winger Seiminlen Doungel, along with Nikhil Barla and Jitendra Singh were introduced to give a new direction to Jamshedpur’s offensive moves. Sanan made a difference, moving ahead on the left flank in the 71st minute and opening up his body before making the right play with a pass to Rei Tachikawa. The forward aimed for the bottom left corner, but his shot landed wide of the post and the scoreline remained level.
However, Tachikawa made up for the same five minutes later. He confidently stepped up to take a free-kick in the 76th minute, and displayed superb technique to put the ball into the top left corner. The forward broke into a joyous celebration after that, ensuring that the Red Miners notched their first win of the campaign in an emphatic fashion.
