Bengaluru FC’s clinical win over rivals Chennaiyin augurs well for the play-offs

The South Indian derby between newcomers Bengaluru FC and former champions Chennaiyin FC was billed as the battle of the front-runners with the top two teams in the 10-team league facing off during the business end of the league stage.

It was probably the toughest test for Bengaluru FC given the fact that the hosts had not lost a game at home since their league opener against FC Goa and knew that they could close the gap over the leaders with a win since they also have a game in hand.

But if anyone had doubts about how well drilled a unit coach Albert Roca has built, then all those would have gone out of the window after seeing the team virtually decimate Chennaiyin FC on Tuesday.

The 3-1 scoreline was probably flattering to the hosts rather than the eventual winners given the number of chances they created up front and had it not been for their own profligacy, they could have easily pumped in half a dozen goals.

Bengaluru FC, who had managed to pull off a win with 10-men in their last encounter against two-time champions ATK, took the lead in just the second minute thanks to the indecisiveness of Chennaiyin goalkeeper Karanjit Singh.

The 32-year-old was guilty of not moving decisively to cover Harmanjot Khabra’s cross from the right and Boithang Haokip was in place to slot home skipper Sunil Chettri’s pass between the goalkeeper’s legs.

The visitors did not score for another hour but they always looked in control, keeping the ball in their possession for long time and making a few incisive runs from the right. More importantly they had kept their structure at the back and for the major part of the first half, Chennaiyin’s shots at goal were well outside the opponent’s penalty area.

But the major difference in the match was the way Gurpreet Singh managed his penalty area and marshalled the defence. The only time he made a mistake while leaving his line, the 26-year-old had to pay for it as Francisco Fernandes rose to head a Jerry Lalrinzuala cross for the equaliser.

That semblance of parity didn’t last long as Karanjit was guilty of not stopping a weak shot from Sunil Chhetri and Miku had the easiest job to tap in from just outside the goal-line.

The striking duo, who have contributed in 20 of Bengaluru’s 28 goals, created few more chances in the second half with Chhetri guilty of wasting two of them and it felt like the visitors would pay for their profligacy when 10-man Chennaiyin was awarded a penalty.

Khabra was deemed to have brought down Dhanpal Ganesh in their own box but it was definitely one of the softest penalties awarded as the Chennaiyin player was in no place to score. But Sandhu easily managed to save Jeje Lalpekhlua’s attempt to end any jitters in the Bengaluru camp.

Even Chennaiyin FC coach John Gregory admitted to the superiority of the opponent’s when he said, “I just want to say that I think it is a privilege to have a team like Bengaluru FC in Hero ISL, playing the kind of football that they do. They keep the ball well, pass the ball well and they are difficult to play against.

“But having said that, even at 2 – 1 we had a chance to get back in the game when we had the penalty; one which we did not take. It’s one of those nights really when not everything has gone as well as it has in the previous games.”

To their credit, Chennaiyin FC tried to push forward for an equaliser even after their skipper Henrique Sereno was sent off for a second bookable offence. But that only created more openings for the visitors to exploit – be it a long throw from Sandhu that allowed Chhetri to make a solo run into opponent’s penalty box or the through ball from Udanta to his skipper from his own half.

However, Chhetri ensured that he was finally on the score-sheet with Udanta once again being the provider, having beaten the advancing Karanjit following a through pass in the box.

The Indian skipper was more relieved than happy when the ball finally found the net in added time, given the number of chances he had missed.

With four wins in a row, Bengaluru FC know that they are on the verge of sealing a knock-out berth and win over FC Goa at home on Saturday should be enough to achieve that goal with three games to spare.