ISL 2018-19: Persisting Bengaluru FC grind out 2-1 win against FC Pune City

Full-time report: Bengaluru FC beat FC Pune City 2-1 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, although the home team could have added many more to their tally if not for the missed chances and at times, tough luck.

In a moment of inspiration, Udanta Singh scored in the 11th minute. He entered the box from the right after opening up space for himself by dropping his shoulder and escaped a defender and then found the top corner of the far post.

Before Bengaluru could even revel in their opening goal, they had to face a horror own-goal four minutes later after Bheke turned the ball inside his own net while trying to cut off a low Marcelinho cross for Robin Singh.

The home team had more chances to score. In the 21st minute, Chencho rose to meet a cross at the right post but failed to keep his header down. Then, five minutes later, Bengaluru went on a quick counter after dealing with a cross. After a string of back and forth passes, Chhetri got the ball in the six yard area inside Pune box and drove a low shot towards the far post which the keeper did well to turn away for a corner.

Even in the dying minutes of the half, Bengaluru created chances for themselves. In the 43rd minute, Kamaljit made a fine save off a Paartalu shot from outside the box that bounced trickily just ahead fo the goalkeeper who managed to turn it away for a corner. And then, at the stroke of half-time, Paartalu rattled the crossbar from a powerful effort from outside the box.

Bengaluru FC continued to carve out chances in the second half and spent the better part of the half in Pune's area. In particular, Bengaluru came close in th e86th minute when Chhetri held the ball on the inside right and played an onrushing teammate inside the box who squeezes it in at the near post but for a teammate but Kamaljit did wonderfully to turn it away. But two minutes later, Bheke, who had earlier turned into a villian after scoring an own-goal, scored the winner and ensured all three points for his team.

Nishu Kumar played a long ball from the halfway line to Khabra on the right who crossed it across the face for onrushing Bheke. All Bheke had to do was tap the ball home which he did with aplomb.

The win means Bengaluru remain atop the points table with 22 points from eight games while Pune are second-last with five points from 10 games.

9:24 PM

Full-time

9:22 PM

Minute 90+5 (SUBSTITUTION FOR BENGALURU) -- Chhetri out, Kean Lewis in

9:21 PM

Minute 90+3 (SUBSTITUTIONS) --  Marcelinho out, Jakob in for Pune; Udanta off, Haokip in for Bengaluru

9:19 PM

Minute 90 -- Four minutes of additional time

9:19 PM

Minute 90 (YELLOW CARD) -- Marcelinho is shown the yellow

9:18 PM

Minute 88 (GOAL!!) -- Bheke scores!! Bengaluru back in the lead! A great ball from the half-line is played to the inside right and a leaping cross finds Bheke in the centre with the simplest task of tapping it in, which the centre-half does with aplomb

9:14 PM

Minute 86 -- Chhetri holds the ball on the inside right and plays an onrushing teammate inside the box who squeezes it in at the near post but for a teammate but Kamaljit does wonderfully to turn it away

9:09 PM

Minute 82 (SUBSTITUTION FOR PUNE) --Shankar in, Stankovic out

9:09 PM

Minute 81 -- Bengaluru continue to knock at Pune's door and have carved out multiple chances for themselves

8:59 PM

Minute 71 -- Udanta goes close again. He has the ball on the inside right, steps on the inside then goes outside and lets out his shot that hits the near post

8:57 PM

Minute 66 (SUBSTITUTION FOR BENGALURU) -- Chencho out, Semboi Haokip in

8:44 PM

Minute 56 -- Chencho does well to regain possession on the right of Pune half but his cross to the other post is overhit and the ball rolls out of play

8:36 PM

Minute 49 -- Pune get a corner and Matt Mills powers his header at the goal but it's straight at Gurpreet who is alert to the danger

8:32 PM

Second half begins

8:27 PM

Half-time report: Bengaluru FC and FC Pune City both scored one goal apiece in the first half at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, although the home team came close to adding to their tally on more than one occasions.

 

In a moment of inspiration, Udanta Singh scored in the 11th minute. He entered the box from the right after opening up space for himself by dropping his shoulder and escaped a defender and then found the top corner of the far post.

 

Before Bengaluru could even revel in their opening goal, they had to face a horror own-goal four minutes later after Bheke turned the ball inside his own net while trying to cut off a low Marcelinho cross for Robin Singh.

 

The home team had more chances to score. In the 21st minute, Chencho rose to meet a cross at the right post but failed to keep his header down. Then, five minutes later, Bengaluru went on a quick counter after dealing with a cross. After a string of back and forth passes, Chhetri got the ball in the six yard area inside Pune box and drove a low shot towards the far post which the keeper did well to turn away for a corner.

 

Even in the dying minutes of the half, Bengaluru created chances for themselves. In the 43rd minute, Kamaljit made a fine save off a Paartalu shot from outside the box that bounced trickily just ahead fo the goalkeeper who managed to turn it away for a corner. And then, at the stroke of half-time, Paartalu rattled the crossbar from a powerful effort from outside the box.