ISL: Pune City, Bengaluru FC play out stalemate

PUNE: The first Indian Super League semifinal is evenly poised after FC Pune City and Bengaluru FC played out a hard-fought goalless draw at the Balewadi stadium here on Wednesday. Both sides were uncharacteristically lacking in end-product and that saw a limited number of chances created. BFC will be the happier of the two sides as they can now look forward to a virtual one-off knockout tie on their home turf.The return leg will be played on March 11 at the Sree Kanteerava stadium in Bengaluru.
There were some surprise inclusions in the Pune line-up with young Rohit Kumar getting the nod over Marcos Tebar and Adil Khan starting at right-back. Academy product Ashique Kuruniyan was also part of an attacking starting XI.
BFC coach Albert Roca went with the usual suspects with perhaps the only eye-raising change being Boithang Haokip who was preferred over the pacy Udanta Singh. There was an air of nervousness about with neither side wanting to make a mistake and it showed by the lack of chances created in the opening half an hour.
In the 4th minute, Pune left-back Sahil Panwar floated a lovely ball over the top towards Ashique Kuruniyan who had made a run into the box but he handled the ball while trying to control it. Five minutes later, Marcelinho had a penalty shout turned down after he went down clutching the back of his head. It was the visitors who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 30th minute when Gurtej Singh fouled Miku just outside the Pune 18-yard box. From the resulting free-kick, Sunil Chhetri thought he had scored but Vishal Kaith pulled off a wonder save by tipping it over the bar.
In first half injury time, Emiliano Alfaro found himself in a shooting position but his effort was blocked.
Five minutes into the second half, Bengaluru should have scored from a very well worked corner. Toni Dovale played it beyond the sea of bodies to Boithang Haokip who headed it back in but Juanan and Chhetri got in each other's way and the effort fell wide of the post.