Sandhu produced a string of saves in the second half to keep Jamshedpur FC out while Rehenesh was also called into action several times as the game ended goalless.
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Jamshedpur FC and Bengaluru FC players were unable to trouble the scorecard, as they played out a 0-0 draw in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) match on Monday. It was the goalkeepers Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and TP Rehenesh, who came out on the top during the intense clash at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim, Goa on Monday. Sandhu produced a string of saves in the second half to keep Jamshedpur FC out while Rehenesh was also called into action several times as the game ended goalless. In the tightly-battled affair, the first opening of the game came in the 10th minute when Udanta Singh was released on the flanks with a fine lobbed pass. The Indian winger put in a dangerous cross that was almost put into his own net by Narender Gehlot who intercepted it at the far post.
Meanwhile, at the other end, it was Alex Lima’s turn to show off his skills as he tricked past a number of Bengaluru FC defenders before firing a shot that just missed the target. Following the early exchanges of chances, the match between Jamshedpur FC and Bengaluru FC became cagey. Neither team was able to conjure up chances of note until the 39th minute when Rehenesh produced a fine save to deny Cleiton Silva who had headed a cross from Ashique Kuruniyan on target. The Blues ended the first half strongly as Prince Ibara went close with a header in the 44th minute but there was nothing to separate between the two sides, as the referee blew for half-time.
.@GurpreetGK registered his 1️⃣st clean sheet of the #HeroISL 2021-22 season in #JFCBFC tonight! ?✅#LetsFootball @bengalurufc pic.twitter.com/tEdbjygsqz
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) December 20, 2021
Jamshedpur FC were quicker out of the blocks in the second half but were not able to be decisive inside the box as a few half chances went begging. However, in the 69th minute, Greg Stewart, who has been Jamshedpur FC’s best player this season, surged into the box having dribbled past defenders to shoot at goal but Sandhu was upto the task and palmed his shot away diving low to his right.
Two minutes later, Sandhu misplaced a pass allowing Lima to intercept it and run at goal. However, to the goalkeeper’s relief, he couldn’t keep his shot down as the chance went begging for Jamshedpur FC. Marco Pezzaiuoli brought on Sunil Chhetri in the 72nd minute to replace Silva who had been one of the better players for Bengaluru FC.
The Blues though needed Sandhu to be at his best again three minutes later when he produced back-to-back saves first to deny Peter Hartley and later to save from Jordan Murray who was played in by Stewart. Soon after, at the other end, Chhetri’s header from an Ashique free-kick was deflected onto the crossbar by Alan Costa in the 84th minute. Bengaluru FC were unlucky to not find a late winner.
Ibara then had a chance deep in stoppage time to win it when Rehenesh failed to clear having come off his line but the Bengaluru FC forward couldn’t score with the net almost empty. The referee’s whistle meant both teams have to share the points. The game had a good number of chances but there were no goals to show for.
The point takes Jamshedpur FC back into second place and just three points behind Mumbai City FC while Bengaluru FC remain in tenth place. Owen Coyle’s men are back in action on Sunday when they take on Kerala Blasters FC while the Blues next face Chennaiyin FC on December 30.
