ISL 2019-20: NorthEast United 0-2 Bengaluru FC | 5 Talking Points

Bengaluru FC bounced back in style from a 3-2 home loss to Mumbai City FC, with a workmanlike display to grind out a 2-0 win over NorthEast United in match 40 of the ISL 2019-20, at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.

A second-half penalty from captain Sunil Chhetri was followed up by a pin-point header from Albert Serran as the champions locked up the three points, and went away for a week's break from action, before they come back for a high-voltage top-of-the-table clash against ATK.

The result temporarily puts Bengaluru back on top of the ISL table, but both ATK and Goa could leapfrog the champions, if they win their respective games in hand against Hyderabad FC and Odisha FC this week.

Here are five major points to ponder from the match

#1 NorthEast miss Gyan's presence

Asamoah Gyan could not be involved in this game, because of an injury that he picked up in the last game NorthEast played, against ATK. And the Ghanaian superstar's presence was sorely missed by Robert Jarni's men.

Martin Chaves led the line, but he could not outfox or outmuscle the experienced duo of Juanan Gonzalez and Albert Serran at the heart of the Bengaluru defence. Juanan, in particular, was a brick wall.

Chaves, unlike Gyan, is not someone who relies on power and strength. Instead, he tried clever flicks and attempted to use his pace to get past the Bengaluru defence, but Juanan was having none of it.

The door was slammed shut, and NorthEast were largely restricted to punts from long distance, and didn't hit the target very often, until a flurry of late shots from way out, by Panagiotis Triadis.

NorthEast would've hoped for Chaves to come into the hole between the Bengaluru centre-backs and Erik Paartalu, and then lay balls off for Redeem Tlang and Triadis, but he was forced into a personal duel with Juanan, one out of which he came out second best by a long distance.

In Gyan's presence, NorthEast could have had the Ghanaian occupy the two centre-halves, while the likes of Triadis and Lalthathanga Khawlhring could have got on the ball even more in the middle of the park.