Chennai, Dec 28 Ryan Williams struck a brace of goals to guide Bengaluru FC to a 4-2 triumph over Chennaiyin FC and closed the gap on table-toppers Mohun Bangan Super Giant in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday night.
Williams scored a brace and Sunil Chhetri was also on the scoresheet as Bengaluru FC (27) reduced the deficit at the top with Mohun Bagan Super Giant (29) to only two points with the year coming to an end. Irfan Yadwad and Lalrinliana Hnamte were on the scoresheet for Chennaiyin FC.
The game started with great intensity from the first minute with Rahul Bheke testing Mohammed Nawaz with a header on target. Daniel Chima Chukwu almost handed the lead to the hosts three minutes later, when Lukas Brambilla unleashed him with a defence-splitting pass. The Nigerian’s subsequent effort was blocked by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu in goal.
Despite having more of the ball in the first quarter of the game, the Marina Machans were pegged back when Williams nestled the ball into the net from a cross delivered by Jorge Pereyra Diaz in the 16th minute. But Bengaluru FC’s lead lasted only three minutes as the Marina Machans were rewarded for their sustained pressure with Irfan turning in the equaliser in the 19th minute. It was Brambilla, who was the orchestrator of the goal as he won possession in midfield before he found Irfan with a smart square pass in the penalty area.
In the 43rd minute, Bengaluru FC took the lead through Sunil Chhetri, against the run of play. Williams found Chhetri in the penalty area completely unmarked with a cross and the record goal-scorer didn’t make any mistake to head it past Nawaz and give Bengaluru a 2–1 lead. However, Chennaiyin FC clawed their way back right at the stroke of half-time when Gurpreet mismanaged a Lalrinliana Hnamte header following a long throw-in from Bikash Yumnam.
Chennaiyin FC were the dominant side throughout the first half as they pressed higher up the pitch and won possession in dangerous areas to initiate counter-attacks. However, they weren’t clinical enough to take their chances as the scores were level at the break. The Marina Machans continued their high press in the second half as they were inducing mistakes from the Bengaluru FC defenders. However, it also meant that the visitors had acres of space behind the Chennaiyin FC defence for them to exploit.
Bengaluru FC almost found the lead in the 56th minute, when Pedro Capo combined with Pereyra Diaz in the final third. However, the former’s effort was parried away by Nawaz. The Blues gradually gained momentum with the likes of Pereyra Diaz, Noguera, and Williams getting into the mix of things. They were eventually rewarded when Pereyra Diaz made a timely cut-back to find Williams in the penalty area and the Australian slotted it past Nawaz to put Bengaluru FC ahead in the game in the 69th minute.
Right after taking the lead, Gerard Zaragoza brought on Aleksandar Jovanovic and Vinith Venkatesh to replace Noguera and Chinglensana Singh to strengthen the backline. In retaliation, Owen Coyle freshened things up with Kiyan Nassiri, replacing Farukh Choudhary in attack.
However, things turned bad to worse for the Marina Machans as Williams’ cross was turned in by Laldinliana Renthlei into his own net in the 82nd minute, handing Bengaluru FC a two-goal advantage. In the last few minutes, Chennaiyin FC had a few openings but they weren’t clinical enough to reduce the deficit as they lost five out of their last six games in the competition.
Bengaluru FC will face Jamshedpur FC on January 4 whereas Chennaiyin FC will play Odisha FC on January 9.
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