Jamshedpur FC (JFC) ended their Durand Cup campaign on a high, defeating the Indian Air Force Football Team (IAFFT) 2-1 in their Group A encounter at Kishore Bharati Krirangan here on Thursday.
The Red Miners scored one goal each in each half through Piyush Tahkuri (26 minutes) and Ruatmawia (84 minutes), to finish with six points from four games and capture third place in the group. Soma (39 minutes) scored the only goal for the IAFFT, who finished bottom of the group with four losses in four games.
The match was not played at a great place with both teams battling finishing woes, but even then, the JFC youngsters looked the more eager. They mounted well-organized attacks in the initial stages and the IAFFT also created some chances but their finishing in the final third left a lot to be desired.
JFC opened the scoring when Ruatmawia, who had a super game, played beautiful through ball to Piyush Tahkuri who made no mistake with a first-time finish.
They almost added a second when the IAFFT keeper Dinesh came out of his line to miss the ball completely, but Piyush this time couldn’t finish in an empty net.
The Air men were starting to make a game out of it after the reverse and made two good moves in about a 10-minute span, building up to the equaliser. They finally got their reward after an attack down the right, a layoff fell to Soma, who rifled a right-footer into the bottom right corner. It was a quality goal from about 30 yards out.
JFC had two gilt-edged opportunities to go ahead just before the end of the half.
In the first Vinil Poojari got a free header from close range but hit the keeper while in the second the JFC attack line could not keep the ball inside the frame of the goal with the keeper well out of his line.