I-League: Thongkhosiem Haokip tricks Pune FC to a stunning 5-2 win over Shillong Lajong

Playing at home after sixteen away games, Pune FC scored through a quick fire hattrick by Thongkhosiem Haokip (3rd, 13th and 15th minute) and goals Ryuji Sueoka (43rd) and Darko Nikac (45th). Visitors Lajong reduced the margin through Durga Boro (36th) and Cornell Glen (75th).

Pune FC's win in their first home game of the season was also their second in a row and took their tally to seven points as they climbed back up to the second place at the end of Round-3.

Furthermore, the victory was also Pune FC’s first over Lajong at home with four prior meetings between the two sides at Balewadi ending in draws.

The first ever hattrick in the 2015 I-League was also Haokip’s second treble this season having achieved the first in Bhutan back in November.

Going into the game, Coach Karim Bencherifa fielded the same Starting XI with local lad Prakash Thorat starting on the bench.

The game began in explosive fashion as Pune FC took the lead in the third minute through Haokip. Darko Nikac played in a neat ball to Ryuji Sueoka which incidentally was intercepted and headed back out. The clearing was not good enough as the ball landed in front of Haokip who slotted the ball home.

If the first goal sent the fans cheering harder, the second one, barely 10 minutes later send them into a screaming frenzy. Edgar Marcelino's outstepped cross from the right found Haokip at the receiving end, who made no mistake in drilling it past TP Rehenesh from inside the box.

Two goals into the game, Pune FC didn't look like they would switch off. Instead three minutes later in the 15th minute Haokip completed his hattrick. Running behind the defenders on the right, Haokip fired a salvo down the right. While the ball was on target, it took a deflection off Aibor Khongjee to go right into the goal.

The attacks continued in large numbers. In the 24th minute Arata Izumi, the Pune FC captain had a brilliant chance to score a fourth for the home team, but his screaming ground shot, went just wide off the left bottom of the Shillong Lajong goal.

Even though Pune FC continued the barrages on the Lajong goal, a fourth goal would take time. Be it Edgar's delightful runs, or even Nikac's brilliant step overs a fourth goal remained elusive.

In the 36th minute however, Lajong pulled one goal back, courtesy a long range blinder from Durga Boro. The Pune FC defence failed to clear the ball sufficiently which landed in front of Boro, who fired it powerfully across a diving Amrinder.

Pune FC however scored back to back goals just before the first half in the 43rd and the 45th minute through Sueoka and Nikac. While Sueoka scored the goal off a cross by Mathew Gonsalves with Nikac to aid it in to him, Nikac scored his goal by running past a spate of Lajong defenders to fire a ground goal.

Pune FC went into the breather with a comfortable 5-1 lead over the visitors.

The second half continued from where Pune FC left in the first. Nikac and Edgar continued to delight the home fans with delightful runs and passes. In the 52nd minute Nikac send in a low cross that was met by Haokip, which was flagged as offside. Barely minutes later, a delicate Rabona chip from Edgar to Nikac again saw the offside flag being raised.

Shillong Lajong pulled one more goal back through Cornell Glen in the 75th minute. The two foreigners, Penn Orji and Glen combined in on the goal. Orji played a ground pass to Glen, who drilled it from 20 yards to beat Amrinder, the Pune FC custodian.

Pune FC continued to dominate through the game. In the 81st minute a brilliant cross from Nikac down the left saw the ball arrive to striker Prakash Thorat who skied the ball over the goal.

Lajong however didn't trouble the scorers anymore, neither did the home team and Pune FC finally scored a convincing win against Lajong at home.

Hero of the Match: Thongkhosiem Haokip