Pune FC fought hard but were held to a goalless draw by Dempo SC in an I-League Round-6 encounter at the Shree Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi here today.
In a game of equal exchanges, both sides created chances throughout the game but fell short of converting them in the final third.
The game also saw Pune FC keep their first clean sheet in over two months, thanks to goalkeeper Amrinder Singh's heroics under the bar. The young shot-stopper produced numerous saves throughout the game to deny Dempo SC.
Having split points, Pune FC still maintain their position as league leaders with 11 points as Dempo moved up to sixth with 7 points.
Injuries forced Coach Karim Bencherifa to make three changes to the Starting XI as he brought in Anas Edathodika, Ishfaq Ahmed and Lalramluaha Hmar.
In a fiercely contested battle, the game went into top gear right from the opening minute. Pune FC began by making early inroads, into Dempo SC's six-yard box but their defence stood firm. The visitors too were not to be slighted and tried to make early inroads themselves into Pune FC's half.
Playing his first game after suffering an injury in the finals of the King's Cup in Bhutan, Pune FC's captain Anas Edathodika looked at his best as he continued to thwart the attacks that were launched on the Pune FC goal.
Striker Tolgay Ozbey let one fly in as early as the fifth minute of the game but it was well blocked by Amrinder.
Pune FC countered almost immediately in the seventh minute through Ishfaq who played a low ball from the right, Thongkhosiem Haokip and Ryuji Sueoka combined well for a one two but were unable to breach the Dempo defence.
Thereafter the game turned into an end-to-end affair. Pune FC attacked through Sueoka and Darko Nikac, but were unable to break down the Dempo defence.
In the 17th minute, Darko, Pune FC's Montenegrin striker went down and had to be substituted. Prakash Thorat came on for the injured Darko who had to be taken off the field on a stretcher.
