Punjab FC head coach Staikos Vergetis praised his team's fighting spirit despite their 1-0 defeat to FC Goa in their second Indian Super League (ISL) match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa on Monday.
The home side kick-off their season with the appointment of a new head coach, Manolo Marquez along with the arrivals of seasoned India internationals such as Sandesh Jhingan and Udanta Singh in the transfer window. Punjab FC, on the other hand, suffered a defeat in their inaugural ISL match
The home side began the contest on a strong note with chances from the beginning. Joel Chianese came close to opening the scoring for Hyderabad FC only for Vishal Kaith to stand strong and keep it 0-0. Meanwhile, the visitors registered their first shot on target late in the first half but c
Hyderabad FC and ATK Mohun Bagan are known for their solid defensive display which has resulted in both teams collecting the joint most number of clean sheets (10) in the league phase. With both teams being robust on their defensive front, neither team was able to outclass the other on the a
The hosts were dominant in the first half but were tested defensively by the Mariners in the second. In the end, neither side could find a goal to nick the advantage ahead of the second leg in Kolkata on Monday.
The rivalry between the two sides has been intense this season, with both sides winning their respective home games by a 1-0 margin. So, it goes without saying that the semi-final across two legs will lead to another high-intensity affair between two of the best teams in Indian Football.
The Islanders lost to a set-piece goal from Sunil Chhetri in the second half, when the Bengaluru FC forward headed home from a corner to hand the Blues a victory. The two sides meet again in Bengaluru on Sunday for a place in the final of the ISL.
With this win, Grayson and his Bengaluru FC side continue their red-hot form in 2023 as they extend their winning streak to 10 games. Whereas, League Shield winners Mumbai City FC are yet to win a match after their 5-2 win over FC Goa, where they secured the shield. Sunil Chhetri scored the
Sunil Chhetri came on as a substitute and found the back of the net in the 78th minute to give the Blues a vital advantage ahead of the second leg in Bengaluru on Sunday.
Bengaluru FC defeated Kerala Blasters 1-0 in extra time in the first knockout fixture to make it into the semi-finals. Interestingly, it was the Blues who inflicted the first defeat of the season on Mumbai City FC subsequent to their Shield triumph after going 18 games unbeaten.