Jamshedpur FC held Bengaluru FC to a 1-1 draw as the visiting team's attempts to reclaim a spot in the top-six of the Indian Super League met a hurdle on Sunday.
Suresh Singh Wangjam opened the scoring for the visitors with a screamer in the 14th minute, but Javi Siverio equalised in the second half to ensure that both teams settled for a point each from this lively contest.
The Blues were chasing their fifth straight win against the Red Miners in the league, and they couldn't have gotten off to a better start for the same.
Chingambam Shivaldo Singh earned a place in the starting XI and he was tireless on the right flank, launching in a fierce delivery that was flicked by Sivasakthi Narayanan onto the path of Sunil Chhetri inside the box.
Sivasakthi and Chhetri were positioned parallel to each other a few yards away from Jamshedpur FC goalkeeper TP Rehenesh.
However, Chhetri was in a very acute angle to the goal, and hence refrained from taking the onus upon him to unleash a shot at goal. He instead laid up the ball for the onrushing Suresh, who showed sharp instincts to deposit the ball in the top corner of the net and immersing in a jubilant celebration with the captain.
Jamshedpur FC didn't let the goal get the better of them though. Their dynamic frontline kept pushing the buttons of the Bengaluru FC backline, getting into dangerous spots inside the box to test their luck against Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
Rei Tachikawa came touchingly close to drawing the scores level before the half-time break, as a miscued effort by Elsinho was pounced upon and then hit straight at the crossbar by the Japanese star.
However, their moment of reckoning arrived courtesy of Siverio. Jeremy Manzorro's corner kick in the 70th minute was cleared by the Blues, and the ball led to Imran Khan on the inside channel of the right flank.
The attacker, who had scored once each in the previous two games, ensured that he made an impact on Sunday. He swung in a curling cross for Siverio that the midfielder headed inside the net with perfect precision, leaving no chance for Sandhu to save the graces this time around.
