BENGALURU:
Bengaluru FC’s impregnable ‘fortress’ fell to a fiery display of brutish attack and resolute defending from
Chennaiyin FC as Dhanpal Ganesh’s late winner gave the visitors a 2-1 win over the Blues in a tempestuous
Indian Super League ‘southern derby’ at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Sunday.
For long, Jeje Lalpekhlua’s fortuitous goal five minutes into the game looked set to be the winner. A miscommunication between Rahul Bheke and Lenny Rodrigues saw the latter’s hasty clearance take a deflection off Sunil Chhetri and fall perfectly for Jeje to lodge it past Bengaluru goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh for the opener.
But the hosts’ relentless push for the equalizer - which included Edu Garcia’s attempt that skimmed off the Chennaiyin far post – paid dividends in the 85th minute when Toni Dovale set up Chhetri on the edge of the box and the India skipper’s half-volley sailed past goalkeeper Karanjit Singh.
Having taken off defender John Johnson earlier to throw in an extra striker in the form of Braulio Nobrega, Bengaluru felt the pinch in the dying minutes of the match. Ganesh made the most of an excellent freekick set-piece from Rene Mihelic, rising above his Bengaluru markers to power in an inch perfect header past Gurpreet in the 88th minute to send the small, but boisterous travelling Chennaiyin fans into raptures.
Robin wins it for ATKMUMBAI: Defending champions ATK scored their maiden victory in this year’s
ISL
when they got the better of Mumbai City FC 1-0 here on Sunday. The lone goal in the match was scored by Robin Singh in the 54th minute. The visitors, winless with two defeats and two draws coming into the game, then survived a late onslaught by the home side to emerge triumphant. The victory also lifted ATK from the bottom of the table to the eighth spot.
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