Tale of two halves: Bengaluru FC hold FC Pune City to a 1-1 draw with a second-half resurgence

The fire that Bengaluru FC caught since their defeat to Delhi Dynamos in January hasn’t been completely put out. In front of over 15,000 spectators at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, the Blues made a spirited comeback against a high quality FC Pune City side to equalise the game after being a goal down in the first half. The intensity with which they played in the second half made apparent their desperation to keep their undefeated streak alive. Not that a loss would affect their chances of playoff – they have already qualified with another two games left. But Sunil Chhetri & Co. would fancy going into the knockouts with an eight-game unbeaten streak. The string of four victories, however, was snapped and Bengaluru got a first draw in the tournament.

Blues’ first half struggle

It was a little puzzling to see Bengaluru FC’s lack of incision in the first half especially with the start they got. Within a minute of the match’s commencement, they threatened to take the lead. Toni Dovale made an interception some four feet outside the right side of the box and sent the ball to the dangerous Miku lurking inside. An attempted cross to Chhetri was thwarted by an alert Pune defence – Baljit Sahni, who was in front of Chhetri sprinted and slid to clear the ball.

From then on, it was the visitors who created chances. It didn’t take too long for Pune City to convert one of them. Emiliano Alfaro received Marcelo Pereira’s nimble-footed pass from left side of the penalty box and deflected it towards a scurrying Sarthak Golui, whose right-footed shot put Pune on the scoresheet.

A few minutes later, Marcelinho threatened to double Pune City’s lead but Juanan’s desperate yet carefully-executed tackle saved the hosts from more trouble.

Chhetri and the immensely talented Udanta Singh, too, weren’t playing at their best level in the first half.

The first time the hosts were on target was when Miku, thirty yards away from the goal, took a turn to evade a defender and struck fiercely. But the Pune goalie Vishal Kaith didn’t face too much struggle to keep the ball away.

Second half surge

But Kaith was on his toes throughout the second half. Bengaluru’s attack ensured he did.

The Blues had the ball more than the visitors from Pune in the first half. Their possession percentage was higher in the second half, too. But this time, they created more opportunities.

Pune could have extended the lead in the 56th minute had Diego Carlos, from inside the box, capitalised on Pereira’s excellent pass from outside. But the Brazilian shot wide.

Kaith came to the rescue of his side again in the 74th minute. A Chhetri header off a Dimas Delgado corner was struck fiercely by Miku but the Pune custodian parried the ball away without any problem.

But a minute later, the Blues attack got the better of him. A poor clearance from the Pune defence was intercepted easily by Alwyn George, who passed to Haokip. Dribbling superbly, he turned around to evade the defender and chipped the ball to Miku, who from the goalmouth equalised for the hosts.

Attempts to take a lead weren’t lacking from Bengaluru but, as their coach Albert Roca conceded after the game, the visitors defence was well-organised and the Blues had to settle for their first draw of the tournament.

“In the second half, we had to push and not make mistakes,” Roca said after the game. “It was difficult for the defence because sometimes it was two against two. But we took the risk and we finally equalised. I think it’s fairer than to lose.”