I-League: Sitter missed, Gokulam held 1-1 by Punjab

KOZHIKODE: Gokulam Kerala missed a sitter shortly before full-time as they were held 1-1 by Punjab FC in the I-League at the Corporation Stadium in Kozhikode on Saturday.
Substitute Shibil Muhammed and Marcus Joseph were presented with a golden opportunity in the dying moments when a counter set them through with goalkeeper Kiran Limbu the only person to beat.
The Gokulam duo, unceremoniously, wasted the opportunity.
Punjab coach Yan Law had instructed the whole bunch barring his goalkeeper to barge forward deep in injury time when they were allowed a free-kick. It was only a wise thing to do, only they weren't prepared for the consequence after Gokulam had cleared the ball.
Shibil collected the ball in space and sprinted, but instead of going around the goalkeeper he chose to pass to Marcus on the other side and the move misfired with Limbu intercepting.
Dipanda Dicka had put the visitors ahead from defender Mohamed Irshad's sloppy defending in the 34th minute. Punjab returned the favour when goalkeeper Limbu, who had been excellent for the most part, let a routine strike from Nathaniel Garcia through his legs in the 63rd minute.
Punjab remained second with 22 points while Gokulam slipped a place to seventh with 18 points.
Gokulam had started brightly, defending resolutely for the first 30 minutes; the return of Andre Ettienne, from illness, had shored up their defence that had let in three goals in Imphal last week.
Varela maintained a high line that helped his side regain possession as easily as they lost it. Punjab had played a waiting game as Gokulam attacked. Their defenders, Danilo Augusto, in particular, raised a wall around the Gokulam attackers, prompting Marcus and Garcia to prefer shooting from range.
Nepal international Limbu had kept out an array of advances. He, however, was guilty of making the schoolboy error that allowed Gokulam to equalize.
Just as it did to Gokulam after Irshad fumbled, Limbu's howler affected the rhythm of Punjab.
The final half-an-hour was free-flowing though; more often than not it was Gokulam that found themselves raiding the opposition. High humidity levels in the southern state affected the Punjabi side as the game rolled on.
Lalromawia and Marcus came close, the latter rocking a post after the young Mizoram midfielder had stung Limbu's palms with a vicious drive. Punjab had run out of fuel and Dicka was a forgotten man up field. In a final attempt to alter the outcome of the tie, the visitors pushed forward, a gamble that so nearly cost them, if not for hopeless finishing from a pair of Gokulam attackers.