Bengaluru FC made a spectacular comeback and drew 2-2 with FC Goa in the Indian Super League at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday.
Second-half goals from standout winger Ryan Williams and Jorge Pereyra Diaz deprived Manolo Marquez of three full points, which seemed certain three-quarters of the way through.
In the 71st minute, Williams headed home a brilliantly deflected ball from substitute Vinith Venkatesh – a breakthrough quality from the bench that BFC had lacked throughout last season – before Pereyra Diaz found the net after Williams had hit the post.
If it weren’t for the lack of killer instinct in the first quarter and a defensive error that gave the visitors their second goal, BFC could have successfully won the tie.
For much of the evening, it looked like BFC would pay for their lethargy. Goa took the lead in the seventh minute after Sandesh Jhingan’s beautiful shot from a set piece. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was beaten despite a full dive as the ball bounced off the post.
BFC responded by attacking in hordes, but without much penetration in the final third. Williams, however, was live and forced a good save from goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari from the curler. Edgar Mendez had a chance, but it hit the goalkeeper.
In the 66th minute, Naorem Roshan’s powerful shot from inside the box was miscontrolled by Sunil Chhetri and Sahil Tavora’s first-time shot found the top corner. The hosts looked weakened, but they caught their second wind just in time and stayed in the top two (12 games, 24 points).
