ISL 2017, Match 29: Bengaluru FC vs Jamshedpur FC - 5 Talking Points

Thursday's ISL 2017 'Steel Derby' between Bengaluru FC and Jamshedpur FC ended in the visitors' favour as Sameegh Doutie put aside his differences with coach Steve Coppell and won his side a crucial penalty in the dying minutes of the match.

In doing so, Jamshedpur scored only their second goal of the tournament and more importantly, they registered their second win in six attempts.

Here are the major talking points from tonight's game!

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#1 Bengaluru struggle in the first half

There was something very predictable about tonight's match. Jamshedpur were their usual selves, clever on the ball and miserly at the back. It meant, Bengaluru had a tough time finding openings.

The home side enjoyed 65% ball possession in the first half. Yet for all their dominance on the ball, they rarely threatened Jamshedpur, whose defenders looked at ease in the opening 45 minutes.

Bengaluru's centre-backs resorted to long cross-field balls to attack from the wings but Udanta and Edu Garcia could not do much to create any clear-cut chances. Time an again, Jamshedpur took the sting off the game by breaking up play and slowing it down. The cutting edge that we usually associate with BFC was missing.

#2 Dependable Mehtab Hossain limps off early

The midfielder left the match in between (Image: ISL)

A large part of Jamshedpur's defensive success this season is down to Mehtab Hossain's work ethic in the middle of the park. The defensive midfielder once again worked his socks off for the little time that he was on the pitch.

Unfortunately for Jamshedpur, Hossain limped off the pitch at the 37th-minute mark. Was it a tactical change? Highly unlikely. Mehtab makes this side tick and coach Coppell wouldn't take the risk of substituting one of the most important players in his team.

The midfielder probably suffered a muscle pull and hopefully shouldn't be out for too long. The ISL may have a number of star names, but it's tireless players like Mehtab Hossain who ultimately prove to be the difference. An unheralded football player who silently goes about his job without craving the plaudits.

#3 Is Souvik Chakrabarti the most consistent player in the ISL?

Souvik (left) kept the Bengaluru attack at bay (Image: ISL)

This is by no means a new observation but Souvik Chakrabarti's consistency as a defender is probably unparalleled in the entire league. The 26-year-old, who usually plays as a right back, started every game for Delhi Dynamos last year. He's started every game for Jamshedpur this season, which is a huge testament to his professionalism and hunger to give it his all.

When Souvik steps on the field, it's a given the coach can expect an 8/10 performance from him and tonight was no different. His positioning against BFC was commendable and he rarely put a foot wrong.

The likes of Sunil Chhetri and Edu Garcia tried their best to unnerve Chakrabarti but they soon realised that he will in no way be an easy nut to crack. The defender pressed during the right times and held back when as per the tempo of the game. Chhetri especially had to resort to back passes when he was up against Souvik.

#4 Wasteful Jamshedpur let Bengaluru off the hook

Belfort (left) could have given his side the lead earlier (Image: ISL)

Having scored just one goal in five matches prior to tonight, Jamshedpur's players were itching to finally score a couple of goals and build their confidence up front. They were far more attacking tonight than compared to their previous outings.

However, the men in red and blue were wasteful in front of goal. Kervens Belfort, Jerry and Farukh Choudhary were all guilty of missing clear-cut chances to give their side a crucial lead. The visitors created three amazing opportunities in the second half but failed to finish off their well-worked moves.

Tonight, Jamshedpur showed they aren't simply a defensive outfit. They have players who are very well capable of creating opportunities up front. Before it's too late, they need to start making the most of those glorious opportunities. Unlike today, they will not always be fortunate and receive late penalty gifts.

#5 Sameehg Doutie surprisingly appears and delivers

Doutie was a surprise inclusion in the squad (Image: ISL)

When Bengaluru play, it's not every day that their opponents dominate headlines. In what was a surprise, the man at the centre of it all, Sameehg Doutie made an appearance as a late substitute tonight after a controversial week during which he clashed with his manager over possible tactics.

In doing so, has he made amends? Is his relationship with Steve Coppell now solid? Only time will tell. But Jamshedpur will be relieved that one of their most important players once again took to the pitch tonight. Eventually, it was him who won his side a late penalty and helped them register a crucial win.

Doutie has too much quality and is a rare attacking diamond in this ultra-defensive Jamshedpur outfit. The last couple of weeks, the South African has had to endure a tough time, both on and off the pitch. As a football fan, let's hope he stays in the ISL come the January transfer window. Jamshedpur will be keen to keep hold of him and leave behind the petty issues.