Bengaluru FC and FC Goa in action (Photo: Twitter|ISL)
Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC defeated FC Goa 2-1 to climb to the second spot on the Indian Super League (ISL) table at the Sree Kanteerava stadium here on Friday.
Captain Sunil Chhetri gave the hosts the lead in the 59th minute with a bullet header but Hugo Boumous equalised in the 61st minute. Chhetri scored again in the 84th minute to settle the contest.
The much needed victory moved Bengaluru FC up to second on the ISL table with 19 points from 11 games. Goa remains on top with 21 points from 11 games.
While Bengaluru’s Carles Cuadrat stuck to his usual 4-2-3-1 formation, Goa’s Sergio Lobera shifted to a 4-2-3-1 instead of his usual 4-3-3 formation.
Both teams looked to attack but neither managed score. There were few opportunities for both sides but neither could apply the finishing touch.
Sunil Chhetri gave Bengaluru FC the lead just a minute before the hour mark. Dimas Delgado put in a corner from the left flank. Sunil Chhetri ran in from outside the 18-yard box, attacked the ball and headed it towards goal. The ball went low to the left of goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz, who got both hands to it but failed to keep it out.
It was a defensive error that gave Bengaluru the goal.
Bengaluru’s joy was short lived as Hugo Boumous equalised three minutes later. Mandar Rao Dessai passed the ball to Ferran Corominas just outside the box. Coro brilliantly opened up his foot and guideed the ball into the path of Hugo Boumous. Boumous opened his body up and sidefooted the ball into the far corner beating Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
Another piece of poor defending from Goa resulted in the winning goal in the 84th minute.
Dimas Delgado passed the ball to Ashique Kuruniyan, who passed the ball to Sunil Chhetri, sending him through on goal. The captain was one-on-one with the keeper smashed it low into the near post. It was poor defending from FC Goa, who had chances to clear the ball away.
In the dying minutes, substitute Edu Bedia tested Gurpreet Singh Sandhu twice from distance but the Bengaluru and Indian number 1 pushed both shots away for corners. Bengaluru held on for the win.
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