ISL 2018, Bengaluru vs FC Pune City Highlights: Bengaluru FC are now five points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand on second-placed FC Goa.
ISL 2018, Bengaluru vs FC Pune City Highlights: Rahul Bheke scored an own goal and a proper one as Bengaluru FC beat FC Pune City 2-1 at home. This is their sixth win on the bounce and they are now five points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand on second-placed FC Goa.
Udanta Singh scored the first goal to put Bengaluru ahead early in the game and the home side were stretching the Pune defence to the limit. But a solitary counter provoked the own goal that brought Pune back into the game. The deadlock remained until the last five minutes of the game when Bheke settled matters.
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ISL 2018 Football Live Score, Bengaluru vs FC vs FC Pune City Football Live Score Streaming:
And there it is. Bengalur now have a five-point lead on second-placed FC Goa and have played a game less. Rahul Bheke once again with a late goal and this time, it was the winner itself.
Oh he does it again! The West Block erupts, Bengaluru FC are on their way to a sixth consecutive win.
As the Kanteerava ratches up the noise levels, Udanta dashes down the left and cuts in for Xisco, he leaves it for...... no one. Chhetri was nowhere near that spot.
The players are getting tired, which means we are starting to see some nonsense football. Dimas gives the ball away cheaply but he doesn't have to worry, Nishu Kumar hits it forward to absolutely no one.
Udanta makes his way into space down the right, stepped to the outside of the defender marking him and takes the shot, it hits the outside of the post. Minutes before he had hit the bar.
Rare attack from Pune as Marcelinho is arrived to run forward and he takes a shot from about 20 yards out, it misses the top corner by inches. Robin Singh was ahead of him and so he had another option there.
An hour has passed, Bengaluru have more possession but they are not being able to find a way through the Pune defence.
Xisco with a rather misplaced pass to Udanta on the right but the latter manages to control it. His cross is woefully overhit.
Ashique Kuruniyan with a shot from distance. Hits it hard and true but it is a good five feet over the bar. The commentator complements the shot, for reasons only he is privy to.
Bengaluru must be kicking themselves. They were head and shoulders above their opposition throughout this first half and it is one silly own goal that has denied them an outright lead. It is to be noted though, that they have been caught on the counter a number of times, one of which led to the own goal. Food for thought for Carlos Cuadrat.
Corner is too close to the keeper who punches it down, Pune manage to clear it but not too far, it comes back to Chhetri whose shot clatters against the foot of Martin Diaz. The ball balloons up in the air and Chhetri uses a hand to take it down. Free kick Pune.
Erik Paartalu with a shot from distance, it forces a save from the keeper. Corner for Bengaluru
Sunil Chhetri with a first time ball to Chencho on the left. The Bhutanese gets on the inside of the defender marking him with his first touch but can't quite get the shot off. Ball rolls straight to the 'keeper.
FC Pune City make a change already; Fanai is taken off for Sahil Panwai.
Not much happening at the moment. Bengaluru trying to find a way through but that age old problem if ISL teams crops - losing the ball in the final third.
Xisco with a cross into the box where Chencho is completely unmarked. He has a free header and it is flying over the post. Bengaluru need to start converting these chances.
This match has got off to a flier. Bengaluru were pounding the Pune defence with repeated attacks but what a silly way to concede.
Stankovic's low cross is intended for Robin Singh, Rahul Bheke sticks a foot out and ends up turning it into his own net! Bengaluru were pummeling the Pune defence and this goal is completely against the run of play.
Good play from Bengaluru, attrocious defending from Pune. Dimas' long ball kept in play by Harmanjot on the right who passes it to Udanta. No one marking him, he drops a shoulder to get past one defender, a step over to get past the next and lazers it into the far corner.
Stankovic and Chhetri wrestle for the ball in the Bengaluru half, the referee gives a free kick in favour of the Indian. Pune have made more inroads into the opposition half, although they haven't done much.
Once again, Ashique tries a cross from the left but Robin Singh has already made the run and is past the far post by the time the ball gets there. Wasted cross there.
Marcelinho makes a cross-field pass to Ashique who surges down the left and puts the cross in. It is straight into the hands of Sandhu.
Defending has been a problem for the away side. They have conceded as many as 21 goals so far in just 9 matches. Vishal Kaith was relegated to the bench after a slew of poor performances between the sticks and his replacement Karanjit Singh hasn't been able to do much either. Bengaluru FC know that their full backs' tendency to stay deep in the opposition's pitch means that they would be susceptible to attacks from the wide positions but their centre halfs and 'keeper Sandhu have made up for that thus far in the season.
Unbeaten vs struggling. That is what is in store today. But such is the nature of this league that Bengaluru FC still can't truly be called the outright favourites to win this match. First and foremost, here are the teams
Pune: Kamaljit Singh (GK), Matt Mills, Adil Khan, Jonathan Vila, Marcelinho (C), Marko Stankovic, Ashutosh Mehta, Martin Diaz, Ashique Kuruniyan, Robin Singh, Lalchhuanmawia Fanai.
Subs: Vishal Kaith (GK), Shankar Sampingraj, Iain Hume, Jakob Vanlalhlimpuia, Nikhil Poojari, Nim Dorjee Tamang, Sahil Panwar.
Bengaluru: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK), Rahul Bheke, Juanan, Erik Paartalu, Harmanjot Khabra, Sunil Chhetri (C), Dimas Delgado, Xisco Hernandez, Udanta Singh, Nishu Kumar, Chencho Gyeltshen.
Subs: Soram Poirei (GK), Boithang Haokip, Kean Lewis, Semboi Haokip, Gursimrat Singh, Rino Anto, Sairuat Kima.