Hyderabad FC warded off a spirited second-half challenge from Bengaluru FC to settle for a 1-1 draw in an ISL league match at the GMC Balayogi Stadium here on Saturday.
It was an opportunistic Mohammad Yasir who put HFC ahead in the 35th minute when he showed great anticipation to pick up a long ball from his own half by Oswaldo Alanis. With great ball control, Yasir dodged past the closely marking Slavko Damjanovic and the goalkeeper to open the account for the former champion.
In the 58th minute of second-half, Bengaluru found the equaliser through Ryan Williams’ left-footer off a beautiful short pass from the left by Halicharan Narzary.
From then, it was anybody’s game as action swung from one half to the other which also saw both teams messing up many scoring opportunities.
The closest BFC came to scoring winner was when captain Sunil Chhetri, who got the better of a crowded defence, ran into an advancing custodian but couldn’t beat.
Then, it was HFC’s turn to miss an easy scoring chance when Jonathan Moya’s header off a curling cross from the left flank by Mark Zotha missed the target in the 73rd minute.
Even in the dying seconds, the visitors had another chance of scoring but Francisco Xavier’s left-footer from close to the goalline went off target.
The result: Hyderabad FC 1 (Mohammed Yasir 35) drew with Bengaluru FC 1 (Ryan Williams 58).
