Frenchman Bartholomew Ogbeche scored a brace as Hyderabad rallied to beat a 10-man Chennaiyin FC 3-1 in an entertaining Group C match of the Durand Cup football tournament at the Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal on Friday.
Captain Anirudh Thapa gave Chennaiyin the lead in the 43 rd minute before his opposite number Joao Bruno converted a penalty to equalise in the 56 th minute. Ogbeche shot home in the 65 th and 74 th minutes to ensure his team’s second consecutive victory.
Following a cautious start by both teams, Chennaiyin grabbed the lead through a spectacular goal close to half-time.
Sajal Bag sent in a long aerial ball and Thapa, strongly challenged by a defender, brought it down on the run before slotting it in despite being off-balance.
Hyderabad drew parity early in the second half. Javier Siverio’s header off an Akash Mishra cross fetched a penalty as defender Fallou Diagne was sent off for a debatable handball decision. Bruno beat ‘keeper Debjit Majumder on the right with a fast grounder.
Controlling the pace, Hyderabad got the lead when Mohammed Yasir sent in a precise cross into the area and Ogbeche headed it in.
The Indian Super League champion extended its lead as Chhangte, positioned unchallenged inside the box, passed the ball back and Ogbeche jumped to execute another successful header.
Chennaiyin, which drew its first match, came close to scoring twice before ending up with a loss.
Super sub
At the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, Jamshedpur FC beat holder FC Goa by a solitary goal in a Group A league match. Tapan Halder came in as a late substitute to find the only goal of the match in the final quarter.
With both sides fielding their reserve players, the first session ended barren. Jamshedpur had the best chance in the 72nd minute when it won a penalty. FC Goa captain Lesly Rebello was hauled up for an infringement box on Jamshedpur forward Lalruatmawia. But Goa goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari thwarted the attempt by Vinil Poojary.
Jamshedpur continued to press and found the lead in the 84th minute when Halder controlled a through pass from Vikash Singh and finished on the half turn. Jamshedpur has three points from three matches to tie with FC Goa’s three from as many outings.
The result: Group A: Jamshedpur FC 1 (Tapan Halder 84) bt FC Goa 0.
Group C: Hyderabad FC 3 (Bruno 56, Ogbeche 65, 74) bt Chennaiyin FC 1 (Thapa 43).
