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Bengaluru FC scraped past Hyderabad FC at the Kanteerava Stadium to move above ATK and reclaim the second spot in the ISL table. The defeat, meanwhile, consigned the visitors to their 11th loss of the campaign.
The home side began the game on the front foot and immediately fired a couple of long-range shots at goal. And, they established their ascendancy in the 7th minute when Nishu Kumar thundered home the opener from the edge of the box.
Hyderabad FC though had a chance to restore parity in the 25th minute when they were awarded a spot-kick. However, Marko Stankovic’ penalty was superbly saved by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu as the Blues enjoyed a one-goal lead at the break.
After the re-emerging from the tunnel, the game became slightly scrappier as clear-cut chances were at a premium. However, that trend was bucked in the final quarter of the game as the hosts carved out a plethora of openings. Unfortunately, they couldn’t make the net bulge further, although Hyderabad, courtesy their lack of inventiveness, allowed the defending champions to emerge from the rubble unscathed.
Here is a look at the three reasons that fetched the Blues a victory.
#3 A set-piece goal spares Bengaluru’s blushes again
Before the encounter against Hyderabad, the defending champions had scored 11 of their 18 goals via the set-piece avenue, thereby earmarking themselves as perhaps the most efficient attacking outfit from dead-ball situations. And, that love story continued on Thursday too as the winner arrived courtesy that particular source.
In the 7th minute, the hosts won a corner on the right flank after Adil Khan had managed to divert Udanta Singh’s cross around the post. From the resulting set-piece, Dimas Delgado expertly found Nishu on the edge of the penalty box.
The full-back timed his run to perfection, steadied himself and lashed the ball into the roof of the net, leaving Laxmikant Kattimani with absolutely no chance.
Apart from the goal, Bengaluru FC fashioned themselves a host of opportunities, although they were rather wasteful when accorded such openings.
Deshorn Brown was guilty of spurning several chances whereas Nili also managed to rattle the upright twice, even when it seemed easier to score. Additionally, Ashique Kuruniyan fluffed his lines when eyeball to eyeball with the keeper while Sunil Chhetri looked a tad too sluggish throughout the contest.
Thus, through the course of the game at the Kanteerava, the Blues had highlighted that their most potent attacking weapon remained set-pieces. On the other hand, though, they also shed light on their inability to make the net bulge from open play.
And, while that might seem like a rhetoric, considering most of their matches have followed a similar pattern, it is a narrative that Carles Cuadrat might want to tweak as the competition enters its home stretch.
#2 Hyderabad fail to barge through a resolute defensive door
Hyderabad FC arrived at the Kanteerava having scored 14 goals in as many matches. However, when pitted against the most miserly defence in the land, many expected them to come a cropper. And, though that prophecy eventually came to fruition, it certainly wasn’t the dominant Bengaluru FC defensive display several had envisioned.
For large swathes of the contest, the visitors looked accomplished in the possession and stroked the ball across the pitch with ease. However, much like the rest of their campaign, they failed to stitch together an end product at crucial junctures, meaning that they fired another blank.
In the opening quarter of the match, Hyderabad were restricted to shots from distance as the Blues effectively cut out the spaces in behind the defensive line. However, an error in judgement by Harmanjot Khabra allowed Marcelinho to steal a march on the hosts, thereby forcing Suresh Wangjam to bring him down inside the box.
Unfortunately for the visitors, they failed to capitalize on the spot kick as Gurpreet flung out his right palm and thwarted Stankovic.
Thereafter, Hyderabad kept finding themselves in the half-spaces between midfield and attack. In fact, they also enjoyed themselves in the spaces between the full backs and the centre-backs. However, akin to many a previous encounter, they couldn’t find the final ball, meaning that Bengaluru rode out the storm and kept their 9th clean sheet of the season.
And, more importantly, the away side’s lack of imagination ensured that there wasn’t a repeat of the reverse fixture, where the Blues were left ruing their profligacy.
#1 Gurpreet stands up to be counted
On the 29th of November, Hyderabad FC, against all odds, managed to eke out a draw against Bengaluru FC, despite the latter thoroughly dominating proceedings. On that evening, Robin Singh popped up as HFC’s Guardian Angel, although he was massively aided by Gurpreet’s questionable handling.
And, rather fittingly, the Indian custodian rectified his errors against the same opposition as he churned out a monumental performance at the Kanteerava.
For the opening quarter of the game, Gurpreet was largely untroubled as Hyderabad fired shots from distance. However, in the 25th minute, the Indian had the unenviable task of confronting Stankovic from the penalty spot.
The shot-stopper though, held his nerve and adroitly guessed correctly, meaning that he threw out a right palm and saved the Austrian’s penalty. Moments later, the Indian showcased exemplary game awareness to tip Stankovic’ shot from the resulting ricochet, over the bar.
However, perhaps his most vital save came in second half stoppage time after Liston Colaco had danced his way into the box. The youngster released a rasping right-footed shot and seemed destined to score. Yet, Gurpreet, somehow parried it onto the post, meaning that Bengaluru held on for their 9th clean sheet of the season.
Thus, at the Kanteerava, the shot-stopper had stood up to be counted in the most adverse of circumstances and in the process, had underlined his importance to arguably the best defensive unit the ISL has ever seen.
And, he also managed to put to rest the ghosts of that evening in Hyderabad.
