Jamshedpur FC tasted success for the first time this season as Rei Tachikawa's fantastic free-kick encouraged them to beat Hyderabad FC 1-0 at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, in Jamshedpur, on Thursday.
The opening half was an engaging affair with the deadlock not being broken until the 76th minute of the game. The two teams arguably 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.
Hyderabad FC rode that momentum to earn a free-kick from a promising position five minutes later. 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 a formidable chance from less than five yards away from goal.
As the half-time whistle neared, Jamshedpur attacker Alen Stevanovic caught Hyderabad's backline off-guard. He opted against breaking into an immediate counter-attack. Instead, the Swiss winger slowed down and waited for his fellow attackers to approach him. Nongdamba Naorem sprinted ahead on the left flank and Stevanovic squared up a pass for him. However, the 23-year-old did not keep his shot on target and Jamshedpur squandered possibly their best chance to get ahead in the game.
The home team resorted to their substitutes earlier than Hyderabad. Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) graduate Mohammed Sanan, and 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 as well, 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.
