Hyderabad FC moved to the top of the Indian Super League points table for the first time in the history of the league after Javier Siverio scored a stoppage time equaliser to deny ATK Mohun Bagan all three points at the PJN Stadium in Fatorda, Goa.
Both teams had the opportunity to go top of the table at the start of the match. While ATK Mohun Bagan needed a win, a draw would have been enough for the Nizams to topple Mumbai City FC.
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It was a dream start for the Mariners as David Williams (1’) scored the fastest goal in ISL history to put the Mariners in front before the 2021-22 top scorer Bartholomew Ogbeche (18’) pulled Hyderabad FC back into the contest. Eventually, a Joni Kauko header that was helped into his own net by Asish Rai (64’) set Juan Ferrando’s men on the way to victory but Siverio had other ideas.
The draw meant Hyderabad FC with 16 points went top of the ISL table on goal difference just ahead of Mumbai City FC as ATK Mohun Bagan stayed third being a point adrift.
Williams who returned to the ATK Mohun Bagan starting line-up in place of Roy Krishna for this match opened the scoring after just 12 seconds as his left-footed strike at the end of a free-flowing passing move went past Laxmikant Kattimani in Hyderabad FC goal despite him getting a hand on it.
Hyderabad FC almost equalised instantly when Hugo Boumous made a mess of a clearance from a corner allowing the ball to roll into Aniket Jadhav’s feet who blazed over from just three yards.
The chance spurred on Hyderabad FC as they came into the game after the early blow. They were rewarded in the 18th minute when Amrinder Singh spilled a regulation catch into Ogbeche’s feet who made no mistake from six yards out to make it 1-1.
A minute later, Manuel Marquez’s men had a chance to take the lead when Jadhav got into space inside the box but could only fire his shot into the side netting from a tight angle.
Amrinder was having a tough night and he presented Hyderabad FC with another chance in the 26th minute when he hit his pass straight to Ogbeche who much to his relief hit it straight back to him.
The game settled down into a tactical battle as the half wore on as both teams began cancelling each other out.
The match had to be halted in the 40th minute when Carl McHugh was injured on the pitch. After a long delay, the Mariners midfielder was carried away in an ambulance as he was struggling to breathe after receiving a blow to his neck. However, the post-match update on him is that he is fine after being taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.
The game resumed deep into the eight minutes of stoppage time and the half that almost stretched onto the hour-mark ended with a 1-1 scoreline.
Juan Ferrando threw on Lenny Rodrigues for the second half in place of Deepak Tangri. There was nothing to choose between the two teams at the start of the second half as the two teams had half chances that neither could take.
Manvir Singh then went close in the 63rd minute with a shot having cut in from the right side that went just wide but Kattimani had it covered.
Williams who made the telling blow in the first half showed his quality again as he pierced through the Hyderabad FC backline having latched onto a loose ball to set up Kauko whose header was put into his own net by Rai for an own goal in the 64th minute.
Rai though almost made amends five minutes later when he shot at goal. Amrinder almost palmed it straight into Ogbeche’s path as the Mariners cleared the danger.
ATK Mohun Bagan should have added a third in the 71st minute when Liston Colaco who received a clever backheel from Williams was through on goal but he put his shot wide with just the goalkeeper to beat.
Hyderabad FC then came to close to levelling the score when Rai having cut inside from the flank supplied a cross for Seityasen Singh whose header had to be saved by Amrinder nine minutes from time.
Ferrando made a defensive change bringing on Subhasish Bose for Colaco but it didn’t prove to be effective as substitute Siverio equalised in the second minute of stoppage time with a well-taken header.
There wasn’t enough time for a winning goal as Marquez’s men went top of the ISL table for the first time in their history.
ATK Mohun Bagan are back in action on Saturday as they face an upbeat Odisha FC side while Hyderabad FC take on Kerala Blasters FC in another top-of-the-table clash in the Hero ISL on Sunday.
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