Bengaluru FC 2-1 FC Goa: 3 Reasons Why the defending champions won | ISL 2019-20
Bengaluru FC scraped past FC Goa 2-1 in an entertaining encounter at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. The victory meant that the hosts catapulted themselves into 2nd on the ISL table, just a couple of points behind the Gaurs.
The match began at a frenetic tempo with both sides looking to put the other under strife. However, the visitors settled into their rhythm earlier, meaning that they created a host of opportunities in the first half. Yet, despite weaving pretty patterns, they were unable to stitch together an end product, thereby leading to a goal-less opening period.
After the restart, Bengaluru looked a better outfit and they lent weight to that notion when Sunil Chhetri headed home from a corner, just before the hour mark. However, the hosts’ lead lasted just a couple of minutes as Hugo Boumous quickly restored parity after some neat inter-play with Coro.
The defending champions though had the final say as Chhetri wonderfully dovetailed his run with Ashique Kuruniyan’s pass to caress the ball into the back of the net in the 84th minute.
Here is a look at three reasons by the Blues posted a victory.
#3 Bengaluru portray a clinical edge in attack
Before the encounter began, Bengaluru FC had made the net ripple only 11 times in 10 previous matches, thereby averaging just a touch over a goal a game. Subsequently, their offensive prowess had been questioned with several remarking that their failure to find a replacement for Miku directly correlated to their insipidness.
Unsurprisingly, they’ve had to rely on set-pieces for goals and that particular propensity came to the fore against Goa as well. A minute before the hour mark, Chhetri rose highest in the box to power home the opener as the Gaurs were left ruing the number of chances they had created prior to the goal.
Though the visitors equalized thereafter and tried to impose themselves again, they were caught out by the proverbial sucker punch when Chhetri pounced on Ashique’s through-ball to clinically finish past the keeper.
Thus, over the course of the game, Bengaluru FC had showcased the characteristics that had enabled them to emerge champions last term. At times, they were put under the cosh, yet, they failed to baulk at that particular prospect, meaning that they bided their time before denting the opposition.
And, while there still remain a few flaws that need ironing out, maybe the victory against a potential title rival could act as the catalyst for a more free-flowing second half of the season.