Sunil Chhetri scored the winning goal as Bengaluru FC overcame hosts Goa 2-1 in a dramatic finish at the Fatorda stadium on Thursday.
Rahul Bheke opened the scoring for the visitors before the game took a weird turn with two red cards – one for each side – in the second half. Brendon Fernandes then equalised for FC Goa in the 72nd minute but Chhetri scored from a flying header to maintain Bengaluru’s 100 per cent away record this season.
Bengaluru, who were playing without their main striker Miku and midfielder Erik Paartalu, looked toothless in attack in the initial stages, a period when Goa could have easily taken the lead.
Their first opportunity came in the 10th minute when Juanan’s intercepted ball from a Carlos Pena cross fell for Hugo Boumous at the far post. But the Moroccan’s shot from close range was wonderfully blocked by Blues goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
Minutes later Boumous found Seriton Fernandes clear on goal with a delicate through ball behind the Bengaluru defence but Gurpreet came out of his line to avert the danger.
Goa’s failure to net those early opportunities took a hit when Bengaluru took the lead in the 34th minute. Dimas Delgado’s corner fell right into Xisco Hernandes’ feet, whose miscued shot was redirected into goal from a cheeky back flick by Bheke.
Harmanjot Khabra then had a great chance to make it 2-0 after a slip from Mourtada Fall put the ball inside the box for him. But with an open goal to fire at, Khabra’s shot skimmed off the crossbar.
The hosts were then reduced to 10-men just two minutes into the second half when Mohamed Ali got his second booking of the evening for handling the ball and was sent off.
But Bengaluru could play with a one men advantage for just 12 minutes until Delgado was given his marching orders for a high boot challenge of Boumous.
With the drama unfolding in the middle of the pitch, Brendon equalised for the home team after Ferran Corominas found him at the centre of the box and the young winger smashed home to bring the game back to life.
But Chhetri had other plans and five minutes after had Goa had completed their celebration, the talismanic striker put Bengaluru ahead with a flying header from an Udanta Singh cross.
The Indian skipper could have scored his second in the 89th minute when Xisco found with a low cross inside the Goa box, but his shot rattled the crossbar.
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