Mohammedan SC 1-2 Bengaluru FC, Indian Super League: Blues Bounce Back With Hard-Fought Win

First half strikes by Ryan Williams and Ashique Kuruniyan gave Bengaluru FC a fighting 2-1 win over Mohammedan Sporting Club in their Indian Super League (ISL) match here on Saturday.

Mahitosh Roy reduced the deficit for the home side in the second half.

The win moved The Blues up to fifth on the table with seven points, while Mohammedan were left searching for their first points, after a fourth consecutive defeat.

The two sides went into the match after defeats in their previous encounters and both Indian head coaches, Renedy Singh of Bengaluru and Mehrajuddin Wadoo of Mohammedan Sporting, made three changes each to their respective lineups.

Mohammedan began with Lalmuanawma in place of Hira Mondal at right back, Tangva Ragui back in midfield in place of Lalngaihsaka and Israfil Dewan alongside Adison upfront, in place of Lalremsanga Fanai.

Renedy started the experienced Rahul Bheke at the back, handed Uzbek Siroj Kuziev a debut in midfield and paired talisman Sunil Chhetri in attack with Ryan Williams in place of Bungson, Suresh and Sivasakthi, who were benched.

Bengaluru were the dominant side post kick-off and a wave of attacks saw Chhetri miss the target thrice in the first 10 minutes.

Ryan Williams was also putting in the hard yards, particularly from the right, but found his reward ironically from the left.

Soon after being denied by the Mohammedan defence, Williams tapped home from close, off the resulting corner taken by Kuziev, which was headed towards goal by Chhetri and took a fortuitous deflection off Nikhil Poojary onto his path.

The second goal came after an attack from the right by Poojary.

The cross was cleared away by Mohammedan keeper Padam Chettri, but the loose ball was directed towards Ashique by Fanai, whose rasping left footer from the top of the box, went in after hitting the keeper’s gloves.

Down 0-2 at the break, Wadoo made a double substitution, throwing in the experienced Hira Mondal in place of Sajad Parray at left back and bringing in Lalngaihsaka in place of Ragui.

They got immediate results as Adison floated in a cross from the right, which was initially headed out by Bheke, but only as far as Mahitosh Roy, lurking for the second ball.

The attacking midfielder’s well-placed right-footer beat Gurpreet on the dive to go in.

The hosts did find the back of the net in the final minute of added time, when Fardeen poked in from a melee close to the goalmouth, but the referee had already blown for infringement, sealing a much-needed win for the visitors.

In another match of the day in Kochi, Imran Khan’s 42nd minute strike ensured Chennaiyin FC inflict Kerala Blasters with their fourth consecutive defeat of the season.

Chennaiyin FC secured their first win of the season and moved provisionally into eighth place in the table with four points from as many matches, while Kerala Blasters, still searching for their first point, remain on 12th.

Chennaiyin goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz was adjudged Player of the Match.