Hello and welcome to Sportstar's ISL highlights of the clash between ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC.
That's all we have for you tonight. We will be back again tomorrow for the Odisha FC vs NorthEast United FC [ Match preview ] clash. Until then, it's good night.
ATKMB vs BFC REPORT |
Antiono Habas: "Yes [on plan coming off?]. I am very happy with the behaviour and performance. Today, the team had the personality to win. [Manvir's change in position?] Manvir and Williams are important as Roy. This system is better for the players we have now, we can change another day. Williams has recovered to play for us now. [Change in tactics vs BFC] We pressurised them well in the first 45 minutes with the high press. After that we were tired. We had a different plan to go with as compared to last match and changed the role for this game and the behaviour of the team is good also."
Carles Cuadrat: "We know the quality of these guys. I think we were fighting till the end to equalise but it's about little margins. Cleiton had a chance then Suresh. [On starting XI] I am starting with them but you know we have five games in 20 days so we have to be careful with the dynamic of the team. I think we were fighting the whole 90 minutes. [On Fran Gonzalez playing as CB] No, you have to take decision and it is difficult to beat ATKMB because they are compact. I put him in the CB position because we can put others in attacking position, who can score goals like Sunil, Cleiton, Semboi, Kristian etc."
Post match comments coming up...
FULL-TIME. ATKMB with a thoroughly deserved win. Krishna and McHugh are down on the floor as the final whistle goes after that warrior-like workrate put in! ATKMB outplayed Bengaluru on the night and walk away with three points. This is Antonio Habas's best start to an ISL season.
90'+5' The ball is sliced behind by Jhingan for a corner. A rare blip in defence for ATKMB. Gurpreet is coming up for the corner. ATKMB averts danger.
90'+2' A long ball finds Opseth in the box and his header deflects behind off Tiri's head, but referee awards a goal kick.
Five minutes of added time.
90' ATKMB SUB: Garcia OFF, Martins ON
88' Ball breaks on the edge of the box for an unmarked Dimas but he takes too many touches on the ball instead of going for a shot. He sets up a hooked pass into the waiting BFC players but only ends up having the ball cleared away.
86' BFC SUB: Bheke OFF, Haokip ON
84' ATKMB SUB: Williams OFF, Prabir ON
83' Just as I say that, BFC work the ball down the right before a cross comes into the box where Chhetri fails to get the right connection on the header.
81' This is one of BFC's poorest show in its four years in the ISL. They are struggling to string together a decent passing move.
78' Arindam goes down for the moment but he is okay to continue.
75' The final drinks break is taken.
75' Rane splits the BFC defence to find Manvir free on the right. Manvir weighs up his opetions before looking to fire it into the net from the tightest of angles but Gurpreet sticks out his leg to block the shot.
74' Chance for BFC! A poor goalkick from Arindam sets BFC on the attack. Leon finds Suresh's run to the byline and the ball is cutback into the six yard area where Cleiton fails to hit the target.
73' ATKMB SUB: Halder OFF, Rane ON
72' An over-elaborate free-kick from the right by BFC is cleared out of danger.
70' Long ball into Krishna and the ball bounces of Gonzalez and is set up for a volley for the ATKMB striker. He, however, can't keep his volleyed effort on target.
68' BFC has managed to break up ATKMB's attacking rhythm in the last few minutes. With just a goal behind, BFC will believe it can get something out of this game.
64' Former Mariner Gonzalez with a shove on the back of Krishna to make his presence felt already.
64' Augustin with a run down the right but Bose catches up and holds up the winger to let the ball run away for a goal kick.
62' BFC SUBS: Pratik, Brown, Paartalu - OFF; Opseth, Gonzalez, Augustin - ON
60' A corner from Dimas and Chhetri of all people only manages to get a slight touch on it. He took a knock going for that header.
59' This is a struggle for BFC. They are struggling to break down the defensive lines and the aggressive pressing right from the top. On the odd times, they get the ball into the final third, they are closed down by a swarm of ATKMB bodies. Even BFC's long throw ins and set pieces are not their friends so far tonight.
54' ATKMB looks like the only side who will score here. A through ball behind BFC's defence is raced on to by Manvir and his shot from a tight angle is just over the goal!
52' Edu Garcia has a go at goal and he hist straight into the gloves of Gurpreet.
51' Narrowly close to a second goal. Long ball down the left channel inside the box and Krishna holds it up before teeing up Williams, whose shot flies over the bar.
50' Krishna harries Dimas into conceding possession.
47' Dimas goes down clashing into Krishna and the freekick is given in favour of BFC.
46' The second half kicks off. BFC SUB: Udanta OFF, Suresh ON
SECOND HALF
HALF-TIME whistle blown. A deserved lead for ATK Mohun Bagan, who set the tempo from the first minute. Quick passing, fast runners and effective high press from the Green and Maroons unsettled Bengaluru from the first minute. BFC had an opportunity to regroup after the cooling break but ATKMB didn't let off. With a one-pass move it caught BFC unaware and Williams scored a stunning goal! This was ATKMB's only first half goal of the season.
45'+1' A long ball into the box as BFC looks for Paartalu to nod it into an attacker but the Aussie's header flies wide.
Two minutes of added time.
42' Yellow card for Bheke for handling Halder's quick throw in.
41' A reverse pass from the freekick to find Krishna, whose cutback is intercepted by Dimas.
40' A long ball down the left and Williams and Pratik give chase. Williams gets to it first but Pratik gets a handful of his shirt and hauls the striker down. Freekick given in favour of ATKMB.
39' Chhetri catches Krishna on the follow through with his trailing leg. Krishna is down momentarily but he is now okay to continue.
37' Freekick for BFC. It's headed down into the box by a Bheke but its cleared away.
33' GOAL! ATKMB 1-0 BFC! PICK. THAT. OUT! A stunning goal from David Williams! McHugh with a long ball to the left to find Williams, who brings it down with a superb first touch, cuts in to the middle and rifles a shot into the top right corner! Gurpreet had no chance to save that.
30' Foul called against ATKMB on a freekick and that's the first water break called.
27' Chhetri with a run through the middle and takes a left-footed shot which is straight at Arindam.
24' Edu receives the ball on the left and immediately plays a ball over the top for Krishna, who beats the offside trap. But Krishna can't et his first touch right this time and Gurpreet comes out to collect the loose ball.
23' Edu holds of Khabra and plays in a defence splitting pass for Manvir, whose drilled cross is cut off again by Gurpreet.
22' Tiri finds Subhasish on the left flank and he plays in a low cross into the BFC box which Manvir meets with a left-footed shot. There wasn't enough power on the shot and Gurpreet quickly gets down to stop it.
19' A long ball into the ATKMB box and Paartalu manages to make an unchallenged header at goal but its straight at Arindam. Let off for AKTMB.
16' Williams picks out Krishna with a ball over the top but Juanan recovers and keeps up with the Fiji striker to deny him the room to take a shot.
15' ATK Mohun Bagan has taken the initiative in attack. 55 per cent possession. Something whcih you don't see often.
11' Krishna plays it Edu, who knocks the ball past Pratik and cuts it back across goal which is crucially intercepted by Bheke.
Habas' teams have only lost once in four games against Bengaluru FC in the ISL.
8' It appears that both teams are playing four at the back. Bheke playing as a left-back and Khabra continues as the right back in Bengaluru's 4-2-3-1 formation. Cleiton seems to be playing in a No. 10 role.
6' Williams has a free header from the free-kick but puts it over the bar. He is flagged offside.
5' Juanan gets an early booking for pulling Krishna back with his hands on the right flanks.
Brown needs some treatment on the touchline. Looks like he has a cut on his right eye.
4' ATKMB enjoy possession in the early stages but hasn't threatened in the final third of the pitch yet.
1' ATKMB kicks off from right to left.
FIRST HALF
7.24 pm: Bengaluru makes its way out to the middle in its away white kit. ATKMB walks out in its green and maroon home kit.
7.08 pm: While Bengaluru’s seven goals from open play is the second highest in the league this season, ATK Mohun Bagan is yet to concede a goal from open play. The three goals against it has come from set pieces.
6.50 pm: One change for ATKMB from the win over Goa. Brad Inman drops out for former Bengaluru midfielder Edu Garcia. Three changes for BFC. Ashique, Opseth, Suresh - OUT. Brown, Bheke, Udanta - IN. Here's what is keeping Ashique out of action. It's likely the winger won't return until the new year. New signing Ajith Kumar makes the matchday squad for the first time this season.
6.35 pm: Team news is in
ATK Mohun Bagan XI (5-4-1)
Arindam Bhattacharja; Pritam Kotal, Tiri, Carl McHugh, Sandesh Jhingan, Subhasish Bose; David Williams, Edu Garcia, Pronay Halder, Manvir Singh; Roy Krishna
Benagluru FC XI (3-4-3)
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK); Rahul Bheke, Pratik Chaudhari, Juanan; Udanta Singh, Erik Paartalu, Dimas Delgado, Harmanjot Khabra; Cleiton Silva, Deshorn Brown, Sunil Chhetri
6.15 pm: Here are our predicted XIs
ATK Mohun Bagan predicted XI (3-5-2)
Arindam Bhattacharja; Pritam Kotal, Tiri, Sandesh Jhingan; Prabir Das, Brad Inman, Carl McHugh, Pronay Halder, Subhasish Bose; Roy Krishna, David Williams
Benagluru FC XI predicted (3-5-2)
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK); Rahul Bheke, Fran Gonzalez, Juanan; Udanta Singh, Erik Paartalu, Suresh Wangjam, Dimas Delgado, Harmanjot Khabra; Cleiton Silva, Sunil Chhetri
6.05 pm: Mohun Bagan vs Bengaluru FC had the makings of a significant rivalry of Indian football in the four years the latter was part of the I-League. Who can forget Bello Razaq's dramtic late equaliser at the rainy Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore to snatch the title away from the home side? Now, they renew rivalries on a new stage with the the Mariners taking up a new avatar as ATK Mohun Bagan.
MATCH PREVIEW
Bengaluru FC (BFC) will face its stiffest challenge yet when it takes on ATK Mohun Bagan (ATKMB) at the Fatorda Stadium on Monday.
The third-placed team (12 pts) is the only unbeaten outfit in the league, is joint-top for most goals scored (11) and has won its last two matches. But ATKMB, second in the competition (13 pts), is arguably the toughest side to break down (just three goals conceded) and rediscovered its winning spirit against FC Goa after blips against Jamshedpur FC and Hyderabad FC.
“I think it will be a very physical challenge,” said BFC coach Carles Cuadrat on match-eve. “They (ATKMB) are tough, [with] big bodies and play a high-tempo game. You saw how they played against Goa and took advantage of counter-attacks and open space.”
“So, it's going to be that kind of a game with two compact teams and not a lot of things happening in attack. These kinds of games are normally controlled by the defenders and it will be little details that will decide the game.”
ATKMB proved adept at this in the contest versus Goa, denying its opponent the space and time to get into a free-flowing passing rhythm. The role of Irish defensive midfielder Carl McHugh has been central to this. BFC, though known for its defensive organisation, has appeared shaky in the recent past, conceding five times in the last three matches.
But ATKMB coach Antonio Habas was adamant that his wards enjoyed no discernible advantage. “In this season, the teams are more balanced and it’s very difficult for all teams to keep on winning,” the Spaniard said. “The reality is that teams are closer, with not much difference [in points also].”
It thus seems like a perfect setting for some individual magic and one need not look any further than Sunil Chhetri and Roy Krishna for potential heroes. Chhetri has three goals thus far and has struck a fine combination with fellow forward Cleiton Silva, the kind of which has been missing since Miku left the club after the 2018-19 season.
Ashique Kuruniyan’s dynamism on the left-flank has been vital too, but BFC will have to do without it after the India winger underwent a surgery to repair the multiple fractures he suffered to his face during the win over Odisha FC on Thursday.
For ATKMB, Krishna has accounted for five goals; three of them match-winners. He may well be the one standing between BFC and a third win on the trot, a feat the 2018-19 champion hasn’t achieved in the ISL in more than two years.
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Follow Sportstar's full coverage (Latest news, Interviews, Features, Points table, Quiz, Videos) of ISL 2020-21 here. Click here
The Indian Super League (ISL 2020-21) marks the return of major league competition in India after the nationwide lockdown to prevent the COVID-19 outbreak was first imposed in March.
The seventh edition of the ISL got underway inside a bio-bubble in Goa on November 20.
The tournament, spanning over four months, will see 11 teams play each other in a league and playoff format across three venues. Following the inclusion of SC East Bengal, this season will feature 115 games, up from 95 last season.
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