Goa : Bengaluru FC made it three wins on the spin to move to the third spot.
The Blues’ ride came from a 3-1 victory over Jamshedpur FC in the Indian Super League at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim.
Daniel Chima Chukwu had given Jamshedpur the lead inside the first minute. Bengaluru made a roaring comeback in the second half. Cleiton Silva (62nd, 90th) scored twice on either side of Sunil Chhetri’s equaliser in the 55th minute.
Jamshedpur were in the ascendancy in the very first minute of the game. Chima got on the scoresheet for the second consecutive game since joining the Men of Steel. Alexandre Lima carried the ball through the heart of the pitch and passed to Borish Singh. Singh laid it up for Chima. Chima got in between Alan Costa and Roshan Naorem to trap the ball and then fire it into the roof of the net.
Pegged back so early on, Bengaluru tried hard to equalise. Jamshedpur, missing the services of skipper Peter Hartley due to suspension, sat back and defended well as a unit. The Blues’ best chance of the half with Sunil Chhetri who could not turn in a brilliant Roshan corner. The head went into an empty net, because keeper T.P. Rehenesh committed early. The skipper dragged his header wide as had his hand on his head. Bengaluru went into the break trailing by that solitary goal.
The Marco Pezzaiuoli-coached team came out all guns blazing in the second period. Chhetri atoned for his miss to fire home from inside the box. A long throw from Parag Shrivas saw the ball come off Bruno Ramires’ legs and into the path of the veteran marksman.
Yet another night of breathtaking action in the #HeroISL as @bengalurufc came from behind to grab all 3️⃣ points! 😍
Watch the best moments from the match in under 60 seconds, ICYMI! 📺#ISLRecap #BFCJFC #LetsFootball | @JamshedpurFC pic.twitter.com/UdrDyFU30p
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) February 5, 2022
In the next seven minutes, Bengaluru doubled their lead. The hard-working Naorem swung in a superb corner for Silva to nod in past an outstretched Jitendra Singh and into the back of the net. Bengaluru were all over Jamshedpur after taking the lead, Silva and Chhetri combining to almost set Udanta Singh in the clear only for Ricky Lallawmawma to intercept.
Silva doubled his tally in injury time. Making the most of Narender Gahlot’s botched clearance from a throw-in Silva beat a defender and fire into the far post from a tight angle. Jamshedpur had their chances but Chukwu and Stewart were denied from the goal line. It was Bengaluru’s day in office.
Chhetri scored his 49th goal, equalising Hyderabad FC’s Bart Ogbeche. Both are now the all-time highest scorer of the Hero ISL with 49 strikes. Bengaluru stretched their unbeaten run to eight games. Bengaluru now have 23 points from 15 games. Jamshedpur dropped to fourth with the loss with 22 points from 13 matches.
