Kolkata: On a day when Sunil Chhetri became the first Indian to reach double figures in the scoring charts in a single Indian Super League (ISL) season, FC Goa gave Pune City a taste of their own medicine drubbing the ‘Stallions’ 4-0 in a Sunday double bonanza.
It was also Goa’s first clean-sheet this season after 16 rounds of matches and one that kept them alive in the battle for the knock-out stage. They however remained sixth with 24 points, but what will make coach Sergio Lobera more happy is the fact that his team returned to winning ways after a gap of five matches — a period where they lost three and drew two.
Until Sunday Pune along with Jamshedpur had conceded the least no of goals (15) while also scoring the third maximum. A staggering 28 goals, which was just three shy of Bengaluru’s 31 goals and two from Goa’s 30. The ‘Stallions’ had also been involved in two matches, wherein they had scored four or more goals. Both came in winning causes (4-1 defeat of ATK and 5-0 against NorthEast United) and were certainly the better team coming on the back of an impressive three unbeaten matches.
But Goa who have been involved in three of the four highest scoring matches and had breached the four goals benchmark three times this season, (which is by far the highest) had a different plan in mind.
It was Pune (if you exclude Bengaluru) whose defence had been equally incredible as it’s attack throughout the season but it tasted bitter against the ‘Gaurs’, a team that just added a new charisma in their armour — Hugo Boumous. The Moroccan midfielder was unstoppable on the evening and equally contributed to defence as much as be did to attacks.
In the 87 minutes that he had spend on the pitch, the 22 year-old scored one assured another, won the first penalty and hit the woodwork once, giving a complete performance in what his only fourth appearance for the 2015 finalists.
It led to Ferran Corominas scoring another brace, goals that kept him on the top of the Golden Boot race. The Spaniard now has 15 goals (only one of those have come from a penalty) which is also the most goals ever scored by any player in a single ISL season.
Sunil Chhetri creates history
There seems to be no stopping ISL debutants Bengaluru FC and their skipper Sunil Chhetri.
Just days ago the JSW owned club had become the first Indian professional club to do a profitable business with a foreign club, when they sold Edu Garcia to second division Chinese club Zhejiang Greentown F.C. and are also the first ISL team to reach the semi-finals this season.
But on Sunday Bengaluru broke a series of records enroute to their 2-0 victory over Jamshedpur FC. The win also meant they became the first ISL club to defeat every team atleast once in a single season.
Led by the charismatic captain Sunil Chhetri and Venezuelan striker Miku, ‘The Blues’ have plundered aside every team that have come across in their debut season in the league. Both Chhetri and Miku have crossed the 10 goal mark, making Bengaluru the only club, where two players have scored 10 or more goals in a single season.
Miku netted the first from the spot taking his tally to 13 goals, just two behind FC Goa’s Corominas, while Chhetri scored the second goal, that took him to third in the race for golden Boot. He now has 10 goals.
In the process the 33 year-old Indian captain also became the first Indian to reach double figures in a single season. Second placed Jeje Lalpekhlua is far behind with seven goals. But Chhetri put up a clinical performance on the night against Jamshedpur.
Coach Albert Roca later praised the talismanic captain saying, “India is lucky to have a captain like him. Sunil is an outstanding player. He is showing every game how to do it. He is improving very game and laying exceptionally well.”
Days earlier Bengaluru had also become become the first ISL club to breach the 30 odd goal landmark in a single ISL season. They now stand comfortably at the top on 37 points from 17 games.