FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: Bengaluru FC got their first win of the season, notching up a 1-0 victory in a heated affair with arch-rivals Chennaiyin FC in the Hero Indian Super League Season 7 at the GMC Stadium, here on Friday.
A 56th-minute penalty by Sunil Chhetri was the difference between the two teams as Chennaiyin suffered their first loss of the season.
Chennaiyin made just the one change to the eleven that drew with Kerala Blasters as Jerry Lalrinzuala replaced Chhuantea. Bengaluru coach Carles Cuadrat made three changes — Kristian Opseth, Udanta Singh and Fran Gonzalez were replaced by Deshorn Brown, Dimas Delgado and Rahul Bheke.
Bengaluru began to take the upper-hand after Thapa's exit. Around the half-hour mark, Cleiton Silva found Bheke unmarked inside the box, but his header was off target. Seven minutes later, Juanan had a chance to head in from Silva's cross, but only managed to divert it into Chennaiyin keeper Vishal Kaith's hands.
The second period started with a flurry of fouls, freekicks and yellow cards. Rafael Crivellaro, Suresh Wangjam and Reagan Singh went into the book early on while both teams wasted freekicks from good positions. However, in the 54th minute, Chennaiyin committed one foul too much. Vanspaul lunged into Silva inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Kaith guessed correctly and dived to his right, but Chhetri's penalty was inch-perfect.
