Bengaluru FC ended their last home game of the season with a 1-1 draw against Pune FC in front of a record crowd (8347) at the Bangalore Football Stadium here today.
Thoi Singh gave the hosts the lead in the first half only for Pune FC substitute Anthony DeSouza to head home an equaliser in the second.
Occupying first and third positions on the table, much was at stake for Bengaluru FC and Pune FC in the game and both teams didn't hide the fact, trying hard to seize the advantage at every given half chance.
But it was Bengaluru who punched first with a goal in the 27th minute. With the ball at his feet on the right, Sean Rooney sent Zohmingliana Ralte the wrong way with some sublime skill before sending one in perfectly for Sunil Chhetri.
The skipper's well-connected tap came off keeper Arup Debnath only to fall at Thoi who made no mistake to score his second league goal.
Bengaluru defended stubbornly and Gurtej Singh, who took the place of Curtis Osano in central defence for his first club start, gave a good account of himself, winning aerial duels against Mirjan Pavlovic regularly.
Pune's best chance came in the 38th minute when Pavlovic's header from a Callum Angus corner came off the post. It was then Bengaluru's turn to come close when Siam Hanghal's almost-perfect cross in the first-half injury time was cleared by Ralte as Rooney lined up to score what was a definite lead.
Pune coach Mike Snoei rang in a change in the 57th minute, throwing in DeSouza for Izumi Arata and the substitute did the job in the 73rd. DeSouza got to the end of a cross by another substitute, Othallo Tabia, to head beyond Soram Poirei.
Thoi missed some difficult half chances, smashing a volley way above in the 80th minute. It was then Pune's turn to sniff for a winner when Thongkosiem Haokip was denied with a brilliant double save by Poirei who took the place of suspended first-choice Pawan Kumar.
It was then a seesaw encounter that saw both defences hang on. The draw means Bengaluru still lead the table with 38 points from 21 games while Pune haven't dropped from third with 31 points from 20.
