ISL: Hyderabad FC thump Bengaluru FC 3-0 to go top of table

BENGALURU: Hyderabad FC thumped Bengaluru FC 3-0 as the hosts continued to struggle in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 on Friday at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.

Bartholomew Ogbeche ended his seven-game goal drought after taking a skillfully executed free-kick to open the scoring. The striker then forced Sandesh Jhingan to score an own goal just before halftime. In the 90th minute, Joel Chianese came off the bench to wrap up the victory.

The visitors made four changes to the team that defeated East Bengal FC last week, while the hosts kept the same starting lineup. Nim Dorjee replaced Chinglensana Singh at the centre of the defence, and Borja Herrera replaced Joao Victor.

Mohammad Yasir was replaced by Rohit Danu on the right side while Javier Siverio entered the game in place of Joel Chianese as read in a statement released by the ISL website.

There were a couple of chances, one coming at each end, inside the opening 10 minutes. Roshan Naorem played a clever one-two with Javi Hernandez from the left flank before his low cross was blocked by Nikhil Poojary. At the other end, Siverio sprinted with the ball down the left flank before Suresh Wangjam stopped the striker with a fair challenge.

The opening goal came when Halicharan Narzary, Herrera, and Ogbeche combined brilliantly to execute a well-worked free kick near the edge of the box that saw Ogbeche smash a low shot past Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to end his scoring drought in the 26th minute.

His last goal before the seven-game drought came in the reverse fixture earlier this season. A minute before the break, Hyderabad FC doubled their lead. Narzary whipped in a cross from the left before Ogbeche headed it into the grass.

The ball was heading off-target before Jhingan's scuffed clearance sliced it into the back of his own net as the defending champions went in at half-time with a two-goal cushion. Substitutes combined to put the game to bed as Abdul Anjukandan's low cross from the right was side-footed into the far post by Chianese in the final minute of the game as the Blues fell to their seventh defeat of the season.

The loss keeps them in eighth position, nine points off the last playoff spot. The Blues will travel to the Salt Lake Stadium next to take on East Bengal FC on December 30, Friday. Hyderabad FC are back at the top of the table, a point ahead of Mumbai City FC, who have a game in hand. The defending champions will host NorthEast United FC on December 29, Thursday.