Unlucky ONGC share points with United SC

MUMBAI: Mumbai side ONGC put behind the disappointment of two losses to pick up their first points of their I-League campaign when they played out a 1-1 draw with fancied Kolkata side United SC at the Ambedkar Stadium, in New Delhi, on Friday.
Playing their home games at Delhi till the Cooperage Stadium is ready, ONGC shot into a shock lead when Eric Brown curled in a fantastic free kick in the 36th minute.
It could have been all three points for ONGC had it not been for United striker Ranti Martins’ headed goal in the 88th minute from a Lester Fernandes cross. This was the Nigerian striker’s 150th league goal.
The Mumbai team will be ruing a missed chance early in the first half when Japanese striker Yusa Katsumi dispossessed Gourmangi Singh before darting into the rival box.
But Katsumi fluffed the easiest of chances, blasting wide when all he had to do was place it perfectly past an onrushing Subrata Pal.
Much of the pre-match focus was on United’s Costa Rican player Carlos Hernandez but the ONGC defence made sure he was left with no space to do anything before he was finally substituted for Kayne Vincent.
As if the equalizer wasn’t a blow enough, ONGC lost Brown who got the marching orders after a second bookable offence. There was one last chance for ONGC to seal the game but Katsumi’s tap, after beating Pal, agonizingly hitting the post.