Striker Bartholomew Ogbeche took his season’s tally to 12 after netting three against East Bengal in Hyderabad FC’s 4-0 win. The Nizams topped the Indian Super League table post the thrashing but could yet end the matchweek as low as fourth due to an increasingly congested competition at the summit.
East Bengal picked up their first win of the season last time out – in what was Mario Rivera’s first game in charge. However, the tangible progress Red and Gold Brigade fans would have hoped for stopped almost immediately and, despite hoarding possession, they gave away three goals within the first forty-five minutes.
The signs were there from the start as Hyderabad forwards peppered Arindam Bhattacharya’s goal. Joao Victor had a freekick saved uncomfortably by the East Bengal custodian while he also caught Aniket Jadhav’s on-target header in the 19th minute.
However, there was nothing Ardinam could do to prevent the opening goal from going in, in the 21st minute. The goalkeeper fumbled the ball beyond the line after it had deflected off of Thongkhosiem Haokip; the goal was later credited to Ogbeche as it was he who had headed the ball goalwards.
43 – SC East Bengal have conceded 43% of their goals (9 out of 21) in the 15 minutes before halftime (31-45 mins) in the @IndSuperLeague this season, the highest percentage of goals conceded by a team during this period. Casual.#SCEBHFC #HeroISL #LetsFootball pic.twitter.com/pEnfEHTBxz
— OptaJeev (@OptaJeev) January 24, 2022
Haokip nearly made amends at the other end by flicking a Mohammed Rafique delivery on target, only to see his header saved by Laxmikant Kattimani. Antonio Perosevic followed up on the loose ball, but his shot was blocked on the line by Victor.
Minutes later, Ogbeche picked up the ball deep inside the opposition half and held off challenges from Adil Khan and Amarjit Singh Kiyam before rounding the goalkeeper. Hyderabad took a three-nil lead with them into the break as Aniket compounded the misery on East Bengal within two minutes of Ogbeche’s goal; the winger cut inside from the left and placed a low shot in the corner past Arindam.
Ogbeche completed his hat-trick in the 74th minute with a goal of immense technical quality.
The forward latched onto the loose ball outside the box after Javier Siverio’s shot had been blocked and fired a strike through a horde of bodies, low, into the bottom corner.
East Bengal were awarded a late penalty when Victor was adjudged to have brought Marcelo Ribeiro inside the box, but Kattimani kept his clean sheet by denying Franjo Prce from the spot.
