FC Pune City climbed to the top of the Indian Super League table with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Jamshedpur FC at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on Sunday.
Pune defender Adil Ahmed Khan scored at the half-hour mark, which proved to be the difference between the two sides as Pune registered its third win in five matches to accumulate nine points and get on level terms with Bengaluru FC, FC Goa and Chennaiyin FC.
Lalchhuanmawia Fanai was sent off for Pune but Ranko Popovic's side defended resolutely to take all three points and hand Jamshedpur its first loss in the league.
The home side had kept four cleans sheets so far and it took Pune thirty minutes to break through its defence. Mehtab Hossain's foul on Marcelinho gave Pune a chance to launch an attack into the opposition box where Adil side-footed it home.
Going a goal down, the home side immediately put Pune under an extended spell of pressure and Izu Azuka managed to score in the 44th minute but much to the dismay of the crowd, the Nigerian was flagged offside.
Pune had a great chance to double its lead within two minutes into the second half. Emiliano Alfaro released Diego Carlos on the right who drilled in a low cross across the face of goal. Both Marcelinho and Isaac were in the box but neither was able to find the back of the net.
Unable to break through Pune defence, Steve Coppell brought on Kervens Belfort to replace Trindade in the 66th minute but it was Popovic's side that looked likely to pull one more ahead.
With just 10 minutes left on the clock, Pune’s efforts to take all three points suffered a big blow after Fanai was given the marching orders for his foul on Bikash Jairu. The Pune left-back was already on a yellow card when he was adjudged to have caught Jairu with his flailing arm.
However, 10-man Pune held on to take all three points.
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