U19 I-League: Pune FC colts finish runners up; do city proud

With five wins, a draw and a loss, Pune FC ended the final phase with 16 points, three behind champions Goa-based AIFF Elite Academy (19 pts).

In doing so, Pune FC became the highest finishers not only from the city but also from the state in the competition ahead of DSK Shivajians who finished 7th (4 pts).

The runners-up finish for two-time former champions Pune FC this year was creditable after falling short on qualification to the final phase in 2013-14.

Interestingly, of the five wins logged in the final phase, Pune FC came from behind on three occasions – DSK Shivajians (0-2 down to 4-2 win), United SC (0-1 down to 3-2 win) and Chanmari FC (0-1 down to 2-1 win). Also, Pune FC remained the only team to stay unbeaten against AIFF Elite Academy.

Overall, Pune FC logged a total of eleven wins in the entire competition, six in the zonal and five in the final phase, with two draws and two losses.

Earlier this year, Pune FC had emerged victorious in the Maharashtra Zone for the second time after their initial zonal triumph in the 2011-12 season.

Maintaining their trend of setting records, Pune FC netted a staggering 31 goals in 8 games at an average of a little under four goals per game, the most among all 22 participating teams in the zonal phase. Furthermore, the goal difference of +22 in the zonals was also the best among all.

Meanwhile, a total of twelve players contributed to Pune FC’s 45 goals this season, their most ever goal tally in an U19 I-League campaign. Having netted ten goals, striker Arif Shaikh finished as the highest goals-scorer for Pune FC followed by striker Farukh Choudhary (8) and midfielder Altamash Sayed (7).

Moving into the final phase, Pune FC were the second top scorers with 14 goals behind AIFF Elite Academy (18 goals) and was one of the only two teams to have logged five wins.