Jamshedpur, Nov 3: Jamshedpur
FC dropped points for the first time in the sixth season of the Indian Super
League after a goalless yet action-packed stalemate against Bengaluru FC at the
JRD Tata Sports Complex here on Sunday.
There were chances created at both ends with
Bengaluru dominating the proceedings, but both goalkeepers’ excellence came to
the fore and the attackers were denied goals.
Despite dropped points, Jamshedpur are top of
the standings with seven points from three matches. Bengaluru remain winless
this season and are seventh, having registered three consecutive draws.
The defences were tested within minutes from
kick-off. Sunil Chhetri’s piledriver, which swerved in the air as it travelled
towards the goal, was punched away by goalkeeper Subrata Paul. Seconds later, a
counter-attack resulted in Sergio Castel having space and time on the ball at
the edge of the box, but the striker’s low strike ricocheted off the woodwork.
Bengaluru attempted to put the hosts under
pressure with efforts from Juanan and Raphael Augusto helping them test the
Jamshedpur defence. In the 20th minute, a Dimas Delgado corner was flicked
across goal by Juanan. The ball fell perfectly for Harmanjot Khabra who was
denied by Paul with a spectacular reflex save from close range.
Jamshedpur fashioned a chance to score from a
corner-kick before the break. Piti received the short corner from the right at
the edge of the box, danced past a crowd of Bengaluru defenders before chipping
the ball towards the other side of the post, but the cross was aptly cleared
away by an alert Bengaluru defence.
The end-to-end affair continued after the break.
Ashique Kuruniyan set Manuel Onwu free but goalkeeper Paul won the one-on-one
contest and kept the scoreline intact.
After the moment of brilliance in goal by Paul
in the first half, his opposite number Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s reflexes were
tested when Farukh Choudhary attempted an audacious bicycle-kick inside the box
from a corner but the India No. 1 produced a one-handed save from point-blank
range.
Paul was called into action again when Ashique
burst forward down the left flank in a quick counter-attack. The Kerala-born
winger dribbled into the box and tried to beat the goalkeeper at his near post
only for the latter to repel the effort.
In the end, neither team was able to fashion a
goal as the match ended in an action-packed stalemate.