ISL: Bengaluru, Pune share spoils

BENGALURU: Bengaluru FC played out an entertaining one-all draw against second placed FC Pune City in an Indian Super League (ISL) top of the table clash at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Friday.
Sarthak Goloui put the visitors ahead in the first half only to see Miku pull BFC level halfway through the second.
The two sides continue to occupy the top two positions although Pune will have to wait a while to ensure qualification.Interestingly, this was Bengaluru’s first draw in the league.
The home side were made to earn the yards as Pune pressed from the front, a tactic the home side also used to good effect while off the ball. BFC did get in some promising positions but lacked the usual conviction when it came to the final ball as Antonio Dovale, more often than not, looked like a deer in headlights near the box. The indecision, resulting in an extra touch, allowed the defence to smother the chances.
The opener came in the 22nd minute when Pune’s sustained pressure on the opposition defence forced a mistake from Rahul Bheke. Marcelinho, who had a stellar outing, advanced to the by-line and cut back to Emiliano Alfaro, who had escaped the centre backs’ attention, and then pushed the ball for Goloui to strike home.
The goal arrived deservedly for the hosts in the 75th minute when a botched clearance allowed substitute Thongkhosiem Haokip to cross the ball for Miku, who had an effort clawed out by the keeper moments ago, to turn in. Pune could have gone back ahead immediately but Diego Carlos, set up by a delicious Marcelinho pass, failed to get past the Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Dovale then tested the keeper from a freekick while Miku smashed high even as Marcelinho’s injury time effort was kept out by Gurpreet.