Hyderabad scored two late goals to rescue a point following a 2-2 draw against Bengaluru at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco yesterday.

Goals from Sunil Chhetri in the first half and Leon Augustin in the second had put Bengaluru in a position of strength. However, two late goals by Aridane Santana and substitute Fran Sandaza meant that the teams had to share the points.

Bengaluru took the lead in the 9th minute and the goal unsurprisingly came from a set-piece. Cleiton Silva put in a brilliant freekick into the box from the left and Chhetri did the rest by getting ahead of his marker to head the ball into the back of the net. The score was 1-0 with Bengaluru leading the score in the first half.

Hyderabad began the second half brightly and registered their first shot of the match on target in the 54th minute when Narzary’s cross from the left was headed on goal by Santana and forced the goalkeeper into a save.

Bengaluru did go on to double their lead after the hour mark following a mix-up at the back between Hyderabad’s defenders, which put Augustin in on goal and the young Indian forward produced a clinical finish with the outside of his boot.

Hyderabad got a lifeline in the 86th minute and Santana applied the finishing touch from close range. Bengaluru’s defence eventually buckled seconds into stoppage time with substitute Sandaza, netting the ball to level the scores.

AWARDS

Hero of the Match – Aridane Santana (Hyderabad); Winning Pass of the Match – Cleiton Silva (Bengaluru)