ISL 2021-22: Bengaluru FC end winless run with victory over Chennaiyin FC

Pal Pillai/Focus Sports/ ISL

---

Bengaluru FC ended a seven-game winless run to record a 4-2 victory against Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League at the Tilak Maidan Stadium on Thursday.

Mirlan Murzaev (4th) helped Chennaiyin take the lead before Bengaluru scored twice through Cleiton Silva (39th, penalty) and Alan Costa (43rd).

Rahim Ali (49th) got Chennaiyin level but Udanta Singh (70th) and Pratik Chowdhary (74th) ensured Bengaluru's winless run came to an end as they moved to eighth in the points table from 10th with nine points from the same number of games. Chennaiyin remained on sixth place from eight games having 11 points.

Chennaiyin were off to a perfect start as Murzaev fired home in just the fourth minute after Germanpreet Singh set him up on the left flank. The 31-year old footballer from Kyrgyzstan scored his second goal this season with a crisp finish after evading Alan Costa and Parag Shrivas.

Bengaluru earned a penalty after an Ashique Kuruniyan shot hit Jerry Lalrinzuala's hand inside the box. Cleiton Silva stepped up, paused in his run-up and slammed the ball to the lower right of the keeper. In four minutes, Bengaluru doubled their advantage after a Silva corner went in off Alan Costa's shoulder as Vishal Kaith came out of his line.

Bengaluru's lead was cut short soon after the restart due to poor goalkeeping by Gurpreet. The India No 1 failed to keep out a routine save from Rahim Ali who shot after being teed up by Murzaev.

In search of a third goal, coach Marco Pezzaiuoli replaced Prince Ibara with Sunil Chhetri and minutes later the national team captain was involved in Bengaluru's third goal as he passed the ball to Danish Farooq who slipped it to Udanta for the winger to fire home from just outside the box. Kaith was responsible for handing Bengaluru a cushion as he let slip a regulation catch from a corner which fell to Pratik who scored with ease.