'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Bengaluru FC, placed 2nd on the table, locked horns with bottom-placed Delhi Dynamos in the 40th league match of the Indian Super League. The Blues were up against a side which had looked lacklustre in the tournament and had failed to produce the goals when it mattered.
Delhi's custodian Albino Gomes was called to action for the first time in the tournament and Francisco Dorronsoro found himself on the bench. Miku and Dimas were again missing from the squad. Dimas Delgado was missing as he was serving a match ban after receiving a red card in the match against FC Goa. Meanwhile, Miku, another prominent member of the team, had to miss out as they were nursing an injury.
'Bhutanese Ronaldo' Chencho got his chance once more in the match against Delhi. Gursimrat also got his first taste of Indian Super League. The young Indian player came in place of Serran, Bengaluru's experienced defender, in the 79th minute.
Carles Cuadrat has made an overall 3 changes to his starting line-up but Josep has tried out 21 players but is yet to get his formula right.
Now coming to the match itself:
As expected, the Blues were passing the ball around well and dominating possession for the initial few minutes. However, the momentum shifted soon and it was all Delhi in the first half. Carles Cuadrat's men got in the nick of things and started to move the ball around well from the 2nd half onwards. Nowhere in the entire match did Delhi look like a side who were the bottom placed in the league. Their only intention seemed like they are there to win the match.
Josep Gambau and his troops were unfazed by Bengaluru. There was a time towards the end of the first half when it was almost certain that the Men in White would score. Maybe this is what comes out of a side when they play without any fear.
The Lions are known to concede late goals from and they paid the price in this match as well.
#5 Both the goalkeepers doing well whenever called into action
Albino was given his solitary start of ISL Season 5 and he was rather impressive. The fearless goalkeeper came out of the six-yard box, made the right choices when collecting the ball. He made a brave punch to deny the charging Bengaluru FC players on another occasion.
There was a rare blemish from Bengaluru's guardian between the sticks -- Sandhu -- when he dropped the ball from an easily collectable cross. Luckily, it fell to his own defender who cleared it to safety. Besides that incident, Sandhu had a phenomenal match.
Xisco struck a powerful shot on goal after he had snatched the ball from Zilverloon who had kept the ball in the defensive third for too long. However, Albino Gomes was up to it and made a fine save. He was headed in the right direction in Udanta's long-range shot as well (through which Bengaluru got the goal), but the moment it took a deflection, it became almost impossible to save it.
Delhi, meanwhile, had 6 shots on target and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu did not even budge in any one of them and cleared them all to safety.
#4 Delhi's trend of conceding late goals continues
Had Delhi not conceded so many late goals in the ISL, they would have been easily in the upper half of the table. However, such is not the case and the Lions keep on conceding late.
It is an astonishing statistic that Bengaluru did not even have a shot on target in the first half.
Zilverloon and co. did a fantastic job in keeping the Bengaluru players at bay for most of the match. Despite a few errors, they were spot on. Finally, it was Udanta who broke the deadlock.
The substitution of Paartalu in place of Rino in the 49th minute allowed freedom for Xisco. This changed the entire scenario of the game and it became more open for Bengaluru.
The Lions are the side who have conceded most goals (55%) after the 75th minute. Their tendency to concede late goals continued.
Udanta Singh scored a great goal (his first of the season) after a haphazard initial build-up. The Mizoram-born players' shot took a slight (wicked) deflection off the boot of Marti Crespi and took it away from Albino. When things are not going your way they all don't.
Delhi were leading 2-1 in their match against Jamshedpur FC but it eventually ended in a 2-2 draw. The Lions conceded two late goals in their match against NorthEast United. Similar was the case when Goa made a spectacular 3-2 comeback. Delhi only have themselves to blame for the situation they are in.
It keeps getting worse and worse Josep and his troops as the opportunities they have missed cost them nearly. In their first match of the ISL season 5 campaign, Delhi had conceded a goal in the 88th minute against FC Pune City and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Then again the Lions conceded in the 84th minute to lose the match against ATK 2-1.
#3 Chhetri kept quiet in his 150th appearance for the club
It was an extremely special game for Sunil Chhetri as he was making his 150th appearance for the club. Even though the Fortress was not as packed as Bengaluru would have liked, those present made the occasion memorable by making a lot of noise. Bengaluru's talisman Chhetri was even given a piece of memorabilia in the pre-match presentation for his outstanding contribution to the club.
However, Delhi's right-back Pritam Kotal kept his fellow countryman in check throughout the match and ensured that Chhetri does not find the space. Even the ball distribution in the final third was forgettable for Bengaluru FC and the rest of the players failed to provide their skipper with the requisite delivery.
Delhi were the dominant side at end of the first half. Yes, many would have expected a one-sided contest with Bengaluru having the upper hand but it was on the contrary.
Had Miku been fit for the match, it would have been an entirely different story. Zilverloon was also poised at the back for Delhi and ensured Chhetri does not have any free pass.
#2 Long ball strategy did not work for both teams
Even though there were many long balls floated to the strikers by their defenders, they could not capitalize on them.
The strategy which worked for both the teams were defence-splitting through balls. Delhi and Bengaluru players found themselves in great positions on multiple occasions when the ball was played through compared to what they would have been had they only played long balls.
The 2nd half was slower initially. Delhi had a lot of pace injected in the first half as there were symmetry mistakes from Bengaluru and they were not as tightly stuck as a unit.
#1 The end product just not coming for Delhi
Andria Kaluderovic, the big Serbian, failed to provide the goods for Delhi once again.
Kaluderovic got an excellent opportunity in the 27th minute. Tremendous build-up play was followed by a cut back from Nandha Kumar in from right flank but the Serbian scuffed his shot. He tried to hit the ball with the outstep of his right foot but it ended up going awfully wide of the target from just 12 yards out.
Andrija once again got a free header in the 6-yard box but missed the sitter. The Serbian just can not find the back of the net. This has been Delhi's problem. Brilliant build up by The Lions again not bearing the fruits it should.
Lallianzuala Chhangte and Nandha Kumar, Delhi's wingers, both had good games and were seen going up and down the flanks. The two youngsters worked hard, created many good chances, and even had a few great opportunities themselves.
21-year-old Chhangte was always in the thick of things. The Mizoram-player has the maximum number of crosses (35) in the league as well as 2 goals to his name. He could have added to this tally and made it 3 as he had a golden opportunity against the Blues. Carmona threaded a lovely ball to him in the 30th minute and Chhangte even managed to beat the offside trap to go one on one with Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, the Bengaluru custodian. However, Gurpreet did really well, stood tall, and denied the youngster his goal.
Nandha Kumar was also selfish on one of the breaks. He had a great chance to square it to his teammates in the 41st minute but instead, he decided to go for goal himself. The shot was well struck but it would never have been easy to beat Sandhu on the near post.
Both Delhi and Bengaluru kept on finding pockets of space throughout the game and it seemed that it might turn into a high scoring encounter. Ultimately, the solitary goal of the match was scored in the 87th minute, with a powerful bottom left-corner strike from Udanta Singh.
Gambau naturally looked furious on the sidelines as any coach would be after seeing his side dominate for the majority of the match and still lose after conceding a late goal. With this result, the chances of Delhi making it to the playoffs is highly statistical. It will be miraculous if they do as they are now perpetually out of contention.
There were so many clear-cut chances created by Delhi that they would be utterly disappointed for not having picked up the 3 points from this match. Lack of composure in the final third is what has cost them time and again. Paartalu curbed the space that Delhi were occupying. He ensured a much better 2nd half for Bengaluru.
Nishu Kumar was all over the park and named Man of the Match for his heroics. The Indian team India have another amazing prospect in the left back position in Nishu Kumar. He did very well, was extremely disciplined, and made a few vital interceptions.
As fate would have it -- Delhi remains the only side to remain winless in the tournament, and Bengaluru remains the only team who are yet to face defeat. The Blues move to the top of the table with 19 points while Delhi remains at 10th (last) spot.
