Hyderabad FC’s graph in the Indian Super League has only been going upward since their dismal first season. Having failed to qualify to the semifinals by a hair’s breadth last time around, they are off to a stellar start, having registered a win against Mumbai City FC, and now have taken down another former champion in Bengaluru FC.
They moved the ball quite swiftly on the left flank, and it was quite fitting that the goal came from that end of the pitch. Akash Mishra made a searing run with a couple of wonderful exchanges on his way, and he found Bartholomew Ogbeche just outside the box, who thundered home a lead courtesy a little wicked deflection for Hyderabad inside seven minutes.
Akash Mishra continued to wreak havoc down that flank, making many more threatening runs, very nearly picking up Ogbeche once again in the 17th minute, but Gurpreet got there first and collected the ball. The goal-scorer nearly grabbed an assist with his sensational aerial through-ball in the path of Javi Siviero, who swung his boot a bit too hard and sent the ball into the stands.
Manolo Marquez’s unit made Bengaluru chase for nearly the entire half, and their best chance of the first 45 came from Sunil Chhetri’s header from an awkward angle that was nowhere near the target. On the other side of the half, Cleiton Silva’s cross-cum-shot induced a superb save from Kattimani, who had to be cautious and proactive.
Bengaluru made further progression with the ball in the next 20 minutes and created some good chances with Jayesh Rane and Silva heavily involved. Their best chance of the entire game fell to Silva, who took a splendid touch outside the box to create space for a shot, but from a nearly unmissable angle for his quality, he managed to parry the ball above the netting.
Suresh Wangjam had a crack from nearly 35 yards and stung the palms of Kattimani and the keeper was once again called into action to make a crucial intervention in the last sequence of the game, where he bravely put a handout and deflected Cleiton’s cross from the path of the on-rushing Lalrindika.
Hyderabad FC eventually survived by the barest of margins, and with these three crucial points, they currently find a third spot on the table.
