INDIAN SUPER LEAGUE Miku brace takes Bengaluru past Pune
Adil Khan took top flight in the first half but ten- man FC Pune City couldn’t halt a rampaging Bengaluru FC striker Miku in the second half, to lose 1- 3 in their Indian Super League match at the Balewadi Sports Complex here on Thursday. BFC’s prolific Venezuelan striker Nicolas Ladislao Fedor ( Miku) struck twice and Sunil Chhetri scored a last- gasp goal as BFC strengthened their position at the top with 12 points from in five games.
It was the third home defeat for Ranko Popovic’s side in four games here. They remain on nine points after six games.
The 29- year- old Adil brought back memories of the 2014 Fifa World Cup when Dutch star Robin van Persie unleashed a flying header to star in a rout over Spain. The FC Pune City defender, who was a livewire in the midfield, scored off a diving header for his second goal in as many matches after making a comeback from injury.
Trailing 0- 1, Bengaluru FC upped the ante in the second half in search of an equaliser. Then came the match- changing moment in the 56th minute when Baljit Sahni was sent off for a challenge on Braulio Nobrega reducing the hosts to ten men. The visitors kept the pressure on and were rewarded in the 64th minute when Miku slotted home from his left foot, following exchanges between Chhetri and substitute Eduardo Garcia set him up. Miku slotted a thundering left- footer again in the 78th minute before Chhetri’s injurytime goal on the counter sealed the home side’s fate. After last week’s moralecrushing defeat to Goa in the Indian Super League, Kerala Blasters resume their year- end campaign without ‘ playmaker’ Dimitar Berbatov as an unpredictable NorthEast United pay them a visit here on Friday.
Bulgarian striker Berbatov, who had found a new home as a creative midfielder since the second game of the season, was substituted out inside five minutes in Goa and has been ruled out until at least December 31, with a calf injury.
Kerala’s struggles in Berbatov’s absence were apparent in Goa as they lost 2- 5, their third heaviest in ISL, against Sergio Lobera’s Goa who were aided by a Ferran Corominas hat- trick in the second half.
But Rene Meulensteen, who is still in search of his first win this season, sounded optimistic on the eve of their fifth round game and is looking to use the depth in his squad.
C. K. Vineeth will return from suspension and the in- form Mark Sifneos should lead the line. Milan Singh is expected to partner Arata Izumi in central midfield.
NorthEast are a point ahead of Kerala, with a win and a draw but Joao Carlos Pires de Deus’ side are yet to string together a pair of positive results this season. The Highlanders defeated Delhi before losing to Bengaluru last week.