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FC Bengaluru United (FCBU) came back from behind twice to secure a point against Madan Maharaj FC (MMFC) in the I-League Qualifiers 2021 on Friday (October 8). The final scoreline read a scarcely believable 3-3 after an entertaining affair at the Bangalore Football Stadium.
The hosts got off to a brisk start that saw them win a corner in the very first minute. FCBU looked set to give MMFC a difficult 90 minutes and commanded the midfield battle early on. The trio of Arun Kumar, Sanju Pradhan and Yumnam Singh combined well and displayed excellent off-the-ball movement. However, they often wavered with their final pass. FCBU forwards Pedro Manzi, Ronaldo Oliveira and Luka Majcen saw very little of the ball early on.
Despite their initial dominance, it was Madan Maharaj who took the lead in the 13th minute. A long ball from MMFC captain Mehtab Hossain was dealt with horribly by FCBU right-back Robin Gurung. His outstretched leg made minimal contact with the ball, allowing MMFC forward Shubham Bhoumik to race in on goal. Bhoumik lashed the ball over goalkeeper Kunzang Bhutia to establish an unlikely lead for the visitors.
Bengaluru then showed urgency to get themselves back into the game. But they were let down by frequent mishit passes and an inability to penetrate the MMFC backline. Their problems compounded further when Manzi, following an attempt to reach a cross, went down clutching his hamstring. The Spanish forward, who only signed for Bengaluru in August this year, limped off the field in tears and was replaced by Subhash Singh.
FCBU continued to pile on the pressure, but were kept in check by the MMFC midfield. Jockson Dhas was particularly impressive for the visitors at the center of the park while Lijo Francis and Loveday Enyinnaya held the fort in defense. Bengaluru did manage to get the ball into the back of the net in first-half injury time, but Yumnam Singh's effort was disallowed for offside.
The score remained 1-0 in MMFC's favor at the break.
Bengaluru hit back twice before late drama sees both sides share a point apiece
Bengaluru United started the second half with added verve in search of an equalizer. But once again their poor decision-making in the final third let them down, while MMFC's rigid defensive structure proved a tough nut to crack.
FCBU's ploy to commit men forward also backfired as Bhoumik scored again seven minutes into the second half. A ball over the top of midfield from Amarendu Chakraborty left the MMFC forward one-on-one with Bengaluru custodian Bhutia. Instead of coming off his line, Bhutia remained static next to the penalty spot, giving Bhoumik plenty of time to place his finish in the bottom-right corner.
Bengaluru coach Richard Hood decided he had seen enough and sent on Hayden Fernandes and Laishram Bedashwor Singh to add some steel to midfield. The changes helped as FCBU began dominating proceedings, with MMFC happy to sit back and defend. Their goalscorer Bhoumik was then stretchered off following an injury and was replaced by Jiten Murmu.
It felt as though something stunning would be needed to bring Bengaluru back into the game and Sanju Pradhan provided it. MMFC gave the ball away near their own box following which Pradhan charged forward before unleashing a right-footed strike from outside the box. The ball nestled into the top corner, meaning FCBU halved the deficit with 20 minutes to play.
There was more to come from Hood's men as their persistent forays forward paid off once again. A brilliant through ball from Majcen to Oliveira saw the latter send a difficult cross into the box. MMFC struggled to deal with the danger and Arun Kumar, after a brilliant game, swept the ball home to bring Bengaluru United level. The celebrations were muted as FCBU raced to the half-line in a bid to find a winner with nine minutes to play.
More drama ensued in the end. Bhutia, in the Bengaluru goal, made an excellent near-post save to deny Chakraborty giving the visitors a corner. The corner was quickly worked short and a dangerous ball was sent into the box which was headed on through a crowd and struck the crossbar. MMFC attempted to score from the rebound, but Bedashwor made a brilliant block to keep the game level.
However, the midfielder's efforts would go in vain minutes later. MMFC goalkeeper Calvin Abhishek, who came on in the second half for the injured Shayan Roy, sent the ball over the top. Bengaluru substitute Anup Raj slipped, allowing Jiten Murmu to race through beyond skipper Dharmaraj Ravanan and score on the half-volley. Madan Maharaj now led 3-2 in the fourth minute of injury time with just a minute more to go.
But the drama would hit fever pitch only seconds later as Bengaluru clawed their way back once again. A swift move from the hosts saw another dangerous ball clipped into the box. MMFC centre-back Enyinnaya failed to clear convincingly, allowing Subhash Singh to collect the ball. He then laid it off to substitute Jaison Vaz, who swept it home.
The clock read 90+5, the scoreline read 3-3: it was well and truly an absolute classic.
Bengaluru United now have two points from their opening two games and are second in Group A of the I-League Qualifiers 2021. Madan Maharaj are a point behind in third having lost their first match.
