ATK Mohun Bagan 2-0 Bengaluru FC: 4 things we learned
ATK Mohun Bagan picked up their tenth victory of the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) season as they beat Bengaluru FC 2-0 at the Fatorda Stadium in Margao.
Roy Krishna (37') and Marcelinho (44') were the goalscorers for the Mariners.
ATK Mohun Bagan dominated the proceedings and completed the double over Bengaluru FC.
The last time these two sides met, David Williams' solitary goal separated them.
Here are four things we learned from the match.
#4 Bengaluru FC concede too many fouls in the first half
Bengaluru FC conceded 10 fouls in the first half and gave away cheap free-kicks in dangerous areas. ATK Mohun Bagan made them pay as both of their goals came from dead-ball situations.
Pratik Chaudhari pushed Roy Krishna inside the penalty box and, the referee rightly pointed towards the spot.
The Fijian powered his shot into the top corner after Gurpreet Singh Sandhu dived the other way.
Harmanjot Singh Khabra pulled David Williams at the edge of the box and, Marcelinho made no mistake in curling his free-kick into the top corner.
Playing clumsily in the first half cost Bengaluru FC the outcome of the match.
#3 Marcelinho finds a new lease of life
Marcelinho was mostly relegated to the bench during Odisha FC's campaign at the start of the season. But the Brazilian signed for ATK Mohun Bagan in a swap deal that saw Brad Inman go the other way.
ATK Mohun Bagan's coach Antonio Lopez Habas has said previously that his motive to bring Marcelinho to his club was to unleash his previous self.
The 33-year-old won the ISL Golden Boot in 2016 playing for Delhi Dynamos.
After scoring against Bengaluru FC, Marcelinho went straight to Antonio Habas to celebrate the goal.
The Brazilian seems to be grateful to Habas for his new lease of life.
#2 ATK Mohun Bagan close the gap with Mumbai City FC
ISL league leaders Mumbai City FC dropped two points against FC Goa as they played out a 3-3 draw in the previous match.
ATK Mohun Bagan got an opportunity to close the gap and they made full use of it.
With the victory, they now have 33 points in their bag in 16 matches. Mumbai City FC have just 34 points and only one point separates the two sides.
The last encounter in the league stages of the ISL will see the two teams clash against each other.
The match should eventually decide who will represent India in the 2022 AFC Champions League.
#1 Bengaluru FC's hopes of reaching the playoffs almost over
Bengaluru FC succumbed to their sixth defeat of the ISL season. They have played an extra game and are four points behind fourth-positioned Hyderabad FC.
Bengaluru FC have reached the playoffs in all three previous editions of the ISL they participated in. They even reached the final on two occasions and won the championship in 2019.
With only 21 points from 17 matches and a negative goal difference, Bengaluru FC's hopes of making it to the playoffs look bleak.
This might become the first time in their short history that they have failed to make it to the knockout stages of the competition.