ISL 2018-19: Chhetri scores brace in Bengaluru FC's 3-0 win over Pune City

Sunil Chhetri scored twice in three minutes to give Bengaluru FC a 3-0 win over FC Pune City at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium in Pune.

Pune failed to deal with Bengaluru's pressing and long balls with Miku especially harassing the Pune backline to create chances for his team.

The visitors could have scored more with Udanta also working well on the flanks. 

Bengaluru should have scored in the 39th minute when Miku dropped deep to flick it for Udanta who crossed first time for Chhetri but the captain's first-time contact was poor and he missed the target.

A couple minutes later, Chhetri made a fine run across the defence to get at the end of a loafted cross and then poked his shot past Kaith for the opener.

Two more minutes later, Miku again pressed and dispossed Pune defender then ran into box and laid the ball for Chhetri on the left inside the box. Chhetri cut in from there, went past a defender and scored past Kaith for his brace.

The visitors could have added another in the additional time when Miku got in a 1-vs-1 situation with the keeper but his chipped shot was overhit. 

Miku had a goal of his own and it came in the second half, in the 63rd minute, to be precise. He held off Sahil and let the long cross to fall in front of him and then blasted his effort into the bottom right corner to make it 3-0 for Bengaluru.

The game was all but over by then but Chhetri still had the time and the opportunity to complete his hat-trick. He came close to doing so in the final minute of the game when Bengaluru got a free-kick in front of the Pune box. Chhetri's free-kick brushed the goalkeeper's fingers and ricocheted off the far post.

The scoreline was a fair representation of the game in which Pune never really came close to scoring.

The win sends Bengaluru to top of the points table with seven points while Pune sit at the second last position with a solitary point from three games and a goal difference of -5.

9:23 PM

Minute 90+3 -- Free-kick at a dangerous position for Bengaluru. Chhetri takes the free-kick it brushes the goalkeeper's fingers and rikochets off the far post.

9:19 PM

Minute 90 -- Four minutes of additional times

9:18 PM

Minute 88 -- Marcelo Pereira tries one from range. His shot takes a deflection but Gurpreet is alert to the danger

9:13 PM

Minute 82 (SUBSTITUTION FOR BENGALURU FC) -- Kean comes in for Udanta

9:08 PM

Minute 77 (SUBSTITUTION FOR PUNE) -- Alwyn replaces Khan

9:08 PM

Minute 78 -- Marcelinho gets the ball on the right of the box and tries to put it at the far post but Gurpreet makes a comfortable save from the effort

9:06 PM

Minute 77 (SUBSTITUTION FOR BENGALURU) -- Xisco enters the field, out goes Paartalu

9:05 PM

Minute 75 -- Miku pulls the trigger from the left of the box but it's put out for a corner

9:00 PM

Minute 71 -- Pune have a chance. Jonathan Vila goes on a volley on a looped cross into the box and Gurpreet has to do some work to keep it out

8:59 PM

Minute 70 (SUBSTITUTION FOR BENGALURU) -- Boithang replaces Khabra

8:55 PM

Minute 64 --  Pune's Diego Carlos lets one fly from just outside the box but his low shot narrowly misses the target

8:54 PM

Minute 63 (GOAL!!) -- Bengaluru score their third. Miku  holds off Sahil and lets the long cross to fall in front of him and then blasts his effort into the bottom right corner.

8:49 PM

Minute 59 (SUBSTITUTION FOR PUNE) -- Shankar comes in for Poojary

8:48 PM

Minute 58 (YELLOW CARD) -- Pune's Sahil is shown a yellow card

8:44 PM

Minute 55 -- Miku makes another run down the centre but is marginally offisde