ISL 2018-19: Bengaluru FC 1-0 Delhi Dynamos – 5 talking points
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.