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Bottom-placed SC East Bengal ground out a 1-1 draw against Bengaluru FC in Match 49 of Indian Super League 2021-22 on Tuesday. The match took place at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim, Goa.
Under interim coach Renedy Singh, SC East Bengal lined up in a 4-1-4-1 low-block system to strangulate Bengaluru FC's attack. The game progressed just according to their plan. In the 28th minute, the Red and Gold Brigade drew first blood through a Semboi Haokip goal. The 28-year-old scored from a vicious diving header off a Wahengbam Angousana free-kick.
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With the lead bagged, SCEB resorted to sitting back and putting the men behind the ball. They maintained their defensive shape solidly going into the break and came away with the advantage.
In the second-half, Bengaluru FC upped the ante and equalized through an own goal from SC East Bengal. Roshan Singh cut to his left from wide and smashed in a darting ball. The delivery deflected off Sourav Das' head and goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya failed to keep the ball out of the net.
The Blues dominated the position throughout the game but failed to create clear-cut opportunities.
Now with the draw, Bengaluru FC have moved to eighth in the ISL points table while SC East Bengal remain glued to the last spot.
On that note, let's take a look at the four major talking points from the clash between Bengaluru FC and SC East Bengal.
1. Renedy Singh losing trust in the foreign players at SC East Bengal's disposal
When the SC East Bengal's starting lineup for today's game was announced, it definitely surprised a few. Coach Renedy Singh opted to start with just two foreigners, although ISL clubs have permission to play four.
The only foreign players for the Red and Gold Brigade were Tomislav Mrcela at centre-back and Daniel Chima Chukwu as the lone target man.
At the time of the final whistle, the number was cut down to one. Tomislav Mrcela was subbed out in the second-half for Ankit Mukherjee. Amir Dervisvic, who was on the bench, didn't get a run in the middle.
Renedy has shown that under him the foreign contingent will not feature just based on their reputation. The former Indian midfielder is more than happy to give homegrown players the opportunity on the field.
Whether SC East Bengal go out and recruit some capable foreigners in the winter transfer window is left to be seen.
2. Bengaluru FC lacking creativity in final third
Over the two halves, Bengaluru FC enjoyed 74% possession but created only one big chance and had two shots on target. Marco Pezzaiuoli's men lacked the final ball on multiple occasions.
Bengaluru FC seemingly lacked the creativity of Alberto Noguera or Hugo Boumous in the final third. While they pinned the SC East Bengal defense, they missed a player who could thread a through ball or two.
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3. Adil Khan proves his worth under new coach
Under former head coach Manolo Díaz, Adil Khan failed to bag even a single start for SC East Bengal. Now with Renedy Singh leading the troops, the Indian centre-back is once again amongst the mix. In his first start of the season, Adil Khan showed exactly why he has played over 60 games in the ISL.
Although he looked a bit shaky at the start, the 33-year-old grew more confident as the minute passed. He, along with Mrcela, marshaled Prince Ibarra very well. Adil Khan made six clearances, two interceptions and three tackles on the night.
4. Prince Ibara constantly failing to get amongst goals
At almost 6'4, Bengaluru FC's Prince Ibara is a constant threat to opposition defenders. Furthermore, unlike most big men, Ibara is quite agile and quick off-the-mark.
Prince Ibara has often done well to hold up the ball and bring his teammates into the game. However, he has only scored twice this season in nine games.
As centre-forward, Prince Ibara has failed to get amongst the goals to the extent Bengaluru FC might be expecting. Although he has been deployed in different roles, the problem primarily has been his lack of sharpness in front of the goal. Even tonight against SC East Bengal, the 25-year-old was caught offside on three occasions and failed to use his evident height advantage.
