HFC trump BFC 1-0 as Manolo’s men register crucial win in first game back at Gachibowli

Hyderabad: Manolo Marquez’s Hyderabad FC put on a solid display on their return to their home ground in Gachibowli as a solitary Bartholomew Ogbeche (83’) goal was enough for them to register all three points from a testing night at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Gachibowli in Hyderabad.

With this win, Hyderabad are back on the top of the Indian Super League table with seven points from their first three games.

Manolo Marquez made just one change to the Starting XI from the last win over NorthEast United as Akash Mishra came back from an injury to make the backline stronger.

But neither HFC nor Bengaluru managed to find the back of the net in what was an eventful first half without too many chances.

Javi Siverio had a header that he missed from close range while Sunil Chhetri was a nuisance all game but the game was evenly balanced as the teams went into the break on level terms.

😍 FULL-TIME and we are VICTORIOUS on our homecoming!

Thank you, Hyderabad. This win is for you 💛🖤#HFCBFC #WeAreHFC #మనహైదరాబాద్ #HyderabadFC pic.twitter.com/YhdGUdpfoQ

— Hyderabad FC (@HydFCOfficial) October 22, 2022

But Hyderabad came out of the blocks quickly after the restart, and constantly put pressure on the BFC backline, winning plenty of set-pieces. Joao Victor, Halicharan Narzary, Mohammad Yasir and even Sahil Tavora, who came off the bench, had a go at Gurpreet Singh’s goal but it was Ogbeche who finally broke the deadlock.

Borja Herrera, who came off the bench for Siverio, put in a superb corner which Gurpreet had to save but he only put it on Ogbeche’s head, who was never going to miss from 6 yards out.

Laxmikant Kattimani had a couple of decent saves to make as he and his backline marshaled the BFC attack all night, to register their second consecutive clean sheet.

Ogbeche, the match winner, was named the ‘Hero of the Match’ on the night but the likes of Nikhil Poojary, Hitesh Sharma, Odei Onaindia, and Chinglensana Singh were all at the top of their game, to help Hyderabad take home all three points on their first game back at the Gachibowli Stadium in over two years.

HFC are back in action at home when they take on FC Goa at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Gachibowli on Saturday, October 29 in a 5:30 pm kick-off.