HYDERABAD HIGH!
HFC top ISL table after Siverio’s last minute goal
Goa, Jan. 5: Hyderabad FC left it late on Wednesday night to win a point against ATK Mohun Bagan in an nail-biting game at Fatorda to extend their unbeaten run to eight games and move to the top of the Indian Super League table.
A David Williams (1’) goal and an Asish Rai own goal (64’) could have won the game for the hosts but Bart Ogbeche
(18’) and Javier Siverio (90
+1’) found equalisers for Manolo Marquez’s men on a dramatic night.
This result takes Hyderabad up to the top spot in the Indian Super League table with 16 points from nine games. They are level on points with Mumbai City FC but lead on a goal difference of 11 to 5.
Hyderabad FC started the game conceding a goal in just 13 seconds from kick off as David Williams’ hit from long range was too good for Laxmikant Kattimani. But Ogbeche found an equaliser in the 18th minute after Aniket Jadhav’s cross was mishandled by Amrinder Singh.
The ball fell to Ogbeche who made no mistake, taking the lead back from Igor Angulo in the race for the ISL Golden Boot. The HFC striker had a chance not long later after as a misplaced pass from Amrinder gave him acres of space inside the box. But the No.20 could not find the right connection and the chance went begging.
Carl McHugh had an injury that was attended to which kind of killed any momentum that was building up in the game.
Both teams pushed for another goal but could not get into a lead to the break, or till the hour mark in the game. But it was a well worked move from the hosts that gave Kauko a clear header which crept past
Kattimani via a deflection from Asish Rai to give Bagan a lead for the second time in the pulsating game.
Manolo Marquez already had Joel Chianese and Sahil Tavora in the middle by then and also added Rohit Danu, Seityasen (coming on for his HFC debut) and Siverio later, in search of
an equaliser that came very late in the game.
A set-piece delivery from deep saw Akash Mishra find space on the left and his cross was perfect for Siverio who lobbed it into goal to set off on a wild celebrations with the HFC bench.
Bagan defended well, and restricted Hyderabad from creating too many
chances but Manolo’s inspired subs and the ‘never give up’ attitude from his players saw them avoid breaking their unbeaten run and move to the top of the league table.
Asish Rai who managed to keep Liston Colaco quiet for the entire game was adjudged Hero of the Match.