Bengaluru, Dec 14 (PTI) Bengaluru FC effected a late comeback to clinch a point as they played out a 2-2 draw in their Indian Super League (ISL) match against FC Goa, here Saturday.
The Blues thus extended their unbeaten streak on their home turf to seven matches this season, winning five games and drawing twice.
FC Goa were ahead 2-0 with goals from Sandesh Jhingan (7th minute) and Sahil Tavora (66th) but Bengaluru FC rallied with strikes from Ryan Williams (71st) and Jorge Pereyra Diaz (83rd) at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium.
For the initial 10 minutes, FC Goa attempted to set the tone for the match. They pressed high up, recovered possession, and earned set-pieces to assert their dominance in the game.
One such free-kick came in the seventh minute, when Dejan Drazic launched in a looping delivery from the right end of the field.
Jhingan, surrounded by a host of Bengaluru FC players, showed tremendous aerial ability to jump and head the ball into the bottom left corner to open the scoring.
However, Bengaluru FC soon gained control of the proceedings. The Blues’ offence was spearheaded by talismanic striker Sunil Chhetri, who made an ambitious attempt at goal from a fair distance outside of the box in the 14th minute.
The precision on the shot was praiseworthy as it was directed straight at the bottom left corner before it was stopped by FC Goa custodian Hrithik Tiwari.
Another attacking move unfolded in the 28th minute that saw mid-fielder Suresh Singh showing impressive awareness to make a headed pass for Edgar Mendez, which was hit straight at Tiwari from the outside of the box.
Bengaluru FC kept trying their luck from distance, as it was Ryan Williams’ turn five minutes later to make a similar attempt off a pass by Chhetri, which again lacked the finesse to disturb the FC Goa goalkeeper’s resilience.
The duo of Williams and Chhetri have developed a fine understanding this season, with the former’s timely crosses being met by the striker inside the box regularly.
The home team had an opportunity to equalise in the 56th minute as Chhetri headed a similar delivery by Williams from the left side of the six-yard box, but it missed hitting target by a whisker.
Despite Bengaluru FC's repeated efforts to trouble FC Goa from distance, it was Sahil Tavora who notched a strike from outside of the box in the 66th minute to double the Gaurs’ lead.
He pulled off a peach of a strike that landed straight into the top right corner and caught the Bengaluru FC backline off guard.
The goal was a culmination of a brief passage where the visitors pushed against the run of play to create opportunities upfront.
The Blues quickly struck back, as Williams cut the deficit in the 71st minute with a brilliant finish off a through ball by Vinith Venkatesh, who came on as a substitute for Harsh Patre in the 57th minute.
Venkatesh made his presence felt by slicing through the FC Goa backline with a perfectly weighted delivery for Williams at the centre of the box, which was then netted into the centre of the goal by the latter.
Jorge Pereyra Diaz too came off the bench for Bengaluru FC in the 57th minute, replacing Mendez. His introduction added firepower in the final third for the home side, and the move paid off when he slotted home a timely pass by Roshan Singh in the 83rd minute to draw the scores level.
Positioned right in the middle of the FC Goa box, Diaz broke no sweat in converting the opportunity, showcasing Bengaluru FC’s laudable squad depth too.