ATK returned to winning ways in style blanking debutante Hyderabad FC 5-0 in its first home outing of the sixth Indian Super League season here at the Salt Lake Stadium on Friday.
David Williams found the target twice in the first half while Roy Krishna struck once as the host led 3-0 in the first half. Second half Substitute Edu Garcia scored twice towards the end to secure the biggest win for ATK in the tournament.
ATK’s last big win was a 4-0 win against FC Goa at the same venue in 2015.
ATK started exploiting the gaps in the Hyderabad defence to fashion the big win. The host found the lead in the 24th minute when Williams reached a Javi Hernandez through-pass and slotted it past the opposition goalkeeper Kamajit Singh. With a persistent drizzle keeping company, ATK used the conditions well, launching swift raids that unsettled a struggling Hyderabad defence.
The home side doubled the lead within three minutes when Williams’ former A-League team Wellington Phoenix attack partner Roy Krishna found the back of the net. Williams set Krishna up with a square pass from the left flank and the Fijian striker fired an angular right-footer to see the ball finding the home hitting the inside end of the far post.
Just when Hyderabad seemed to prepare to end the suffering of the opening half, ATK struck the third in the 44th minute through Williams, who found his second goal on an assist from Jayesh Rane.
The second half saw the host becoming a shade defensive in a bid to preserve the gains of the opening session. But ATK attacking came alive with the introduction of Spanish midfielder Edu Garcia, who replaced Javi Hernandez, in the 70th minute. Garcia found the fourth ATK goal in the 88th minute on a cross from winger Prabir Das and made it 5-0 four minutes into the injury time.
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