ISL 4: Chhetri brace puts Bengaluru on top

Mumbai: Talismanic Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri scored a brace to help Bengaluru FC regain the top position with 3-1 win over Mumbai City FC in their Indian Super League match at the Mumbai Football Arena here on Thursday.

Chhetri scored from the spot late in the first half and then came up with another cool finish in the second half.

His understanding with Udanta Singh cracked the otherwise solid Mumbai defence repeatedly. BFC’s Venezuelan striker Nicolas Ladislao Fedor (Miku) scored from set-piece to sink the hosts further.

Leonardo Costa came from the bench to pull one back for the hosts.

Bengaluru FC have now one point lead over second placed Chennayin FC with 21 points from 11 games.

Mumbai City remain stranded at fifth on 14 points after second consecutive home loss.

Chennaiyin test for NorthEast
Hosts NorthEast United FC will be desperate for three points against Chennaiyin FC in a bid to rescue their campaign, in Guwahati on Friday.

NorthEast are ninth in the standings with seven points from nine matches and need a string of wins in the second half of their campaign to entertain any hopes of making it to the semi-final play-offs. Chennaiyin have 20 points from 10 outings.

Despite hiring Avram Grant as the new coach, the home team went down 0-1 to ATK.

NorthEast’s assistant coach Eelco Schattorie though said the team were up for the fight.

“The overall atmosphere is fine. Players have the intention to do their job. They are motivated to do something together,” he said.

Chennaiyin FC will hope to accumulate another win on the road, though their coach John Gregory will serve out his three-match suspension in the match.