Sunil Chhetri’s record-breaking goal helped Bengaluru FC rescue a point against FC Goa from their Indian Super League clash. ATK Mohun Bagan, meanwhile, were denied a win by some superb defending and goalkeeping by Odisha FC.
Four sides in the bottom half of the Indian Super League table faced each other on Sunday night as part of a rearranged schedule. Earlier in the evening, Sunil Chhetri scored a record-breaking goal as he brought Bengaluru FC level against FC Goa. Later, Arshdeep Singh and his defence repelled wave after wave of ATK Mohun Bagan attack to earn a point at the Fatorda.
Goa started their game against Bengaluru on top. Saviour Gama went close in the opening minutes, while, in a rare first-half opportunity, Bengaluru’s Iman Basafa skied his shot over the bar from close range at the other end. The Gaurs maintained their dominance as the half progressed, and captain Edu Bedia nearly capped off that dominance with a goal in the 36th minute, but for his header to fly wide.
Minutes later, Dylan Fox was millimetres away from getting a touch to Bedia’s cross and turning the ball in; he did get on the end of delivery in the 41st minute, heading in a Jorge Ortiz corner from close range to make it 1-0.
Fox’s goal, however, wasn’t to be the winner. Chhetri equalized for Bengaluru just past the hour mark; the Indian skipper held his run inside the box before powering a Prince Ibara cross past the goalkeeper. The goal took Chhetri joint-top of the ISL scoring charts, but the forward was unable to get clear at the top, as Goa denied him and his peers another scoring opportunity.
Later in the evening, ATK Mohun Bagan were held to a 0-0 draw by Odisha FC in a rearranged fixture from Matchday 11. The first big opportunity of the night fell to Hector Rodas, who, despite separating from his marker on a corner and connecting with the ball, couldn’t keep his shot down. From then on, it was all ATKMB as the Mariners bombarded Arshdeep Singh’s goal with shots – from close range and outside the box.
Arshdeep saved a few and watched as others flew over the bar. The Odisha custodian made a rare error early in the game when he raced off his line to the left in an attempt to close down Liston Colaco.
The striker crossed from David Williams in space, but the forward’s shot was heroically blocked by Victor Mongil.
Colaco got a save out of Arshdeep from a free-kick just before the interval while, afterwards, Williams had a point-blank header parried by the goalkeeper. The Odisha custodian could do little when, in the 90th minute, Carl McHugh dinked the ball over his defence for Prabir Das to chase, but the substitute shot over, ensuring the game finished 0-0.
