ISL 2021-22: Hyderabad FC realises maiden final qualification warding off a spirited ATKMB challenge

ATKMB beat Hyderabad FC by a solitary goal in the second leg, but that was not enough to overtake Hyderabad, which had ensured a place in the title round by virtue of having won the first leg 3-1.

Hyderabad FC players celebrate their entry into the first ISL final ever after full time at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim, Goa.

Hyderabad FC achieved its maiden Indian Super League (ISL) final qualification by prevailing over ATK Mohun Bagan by a better (3-2) aggregate in the double-leg semifinals.

ATKMB beat Hyderabad FC by a solitary goal in the second leg match at Bambolim on Wednesday but that was not enough to go level with Hyderabad, which had ensured a place in the title round by virtue of having won the first leg 3-1.

AS IT HAPPENED |

Needing to win the second leg match with a clear three-goal margin to overtake Hyderabad FC, ATKMB missed a host of scoring chances before managing to strike only once late in the game.

The Mariners, which finished as the runner-up in the previous season, went in the attack mode right from the start and created ample scoring opportunities. But the goal remained elusive thanks to some good defending by Hyderabad, which saw its centre-backs - Juanan and Chinglensana Singh - keeping a good vigil in the box.

Hyderabad goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani also put up an almost flawless show blocking at least four clear chances that escaped the surveillance of his defensive colleagues.

Hyderabad justifiably planned a defensive approach and employed extra men to seal up its goal. But the Mohun Bagan came back stronger and opened up the opposition bastion on quite a few occasions.

Its hopes were doused by Kattimani, who stopped most of the attacks reaching the goalmouth. In the end the ATKMB could count at least five good chances that it failed to score as Liston Colaco, Hugo Boumous and Roy Krishna kept missing from close.

With Boumous showing fine form as a play-maker, the ATKMB attackers constantly hovered over the Hyderabad box. But all its efforts went waste in the want of proper finishing.

Roy Krishna of ATK Mohun Bagan scored in the 79th minute to put his team in front, only to see it go in vain in the long run.

 

Krishna found the goal finally in the 79th minute but his effort seemed to come a bit too late as Hyderabad FC saw off the remainder of the time without conceding any further.