ISL | Punjab downs Hyderabad, continues in its merry way

Punjab FC secures third consecutive win in ISL, going top of the table with a dominant 2-0 victory over Hyderabad FC.

Punjab FC kept an unchanged line-up and a clean sheet for the first time this season, notching up its third consecutive win in as many games to go top of the Indian Super League table with a dominant 2-0 win against a struggling Hyderabad FC here on Wednesday.

This is the first time Punjab has won three games in a row in ISL history and Panagiotis Dilmperis’ boys seem determined to continue the momentum. That the wins have come both home and away – the first one against Kerala Blasters in Kochi followed by two here – have shown the Punjab side is keen to not let the absence of talismanic skipper Luka Majcen affect its performances.

With a comparatively bigger crowd support, Punjab started on the front foot, missing its first real chance as early as the seventh minute when Mushaga Bakenga hit the upright. At the other end, Ramhlunchhunga’s shot in the 12th minute was saved by Punjab goalkeeper Ravi Kumar in one of the few chances that the visitor had.

A couple of wasted assists and nasty tackles later, Ezequiel Vidal finally took it upon himself to break the deadlock, giving Punjab the opening goal in the 35th minute, slotting a free kick into the bottom left.

Punjab doubled its score when Filip Mrzjlak tapped into an empty goal from a narrow angle in the 71st.

His through ball to Bakenga was saved by Hyderabad custodian Arshdeep Singh but that left him completely out of position and with an absent defence, Mrzjlak had all the time in the world to get his second of the season. The Croat could have scored a couple more but hit off target – and Bakenga hit a few wide as well – even as Hyderabad struggled to match Punjab’s pace, especially on the break.

Hyderabad’s night kept getting worse as the match went on, a second yellow for Leander D’Cunha reducing it to 10 men for the final 15 minutes. Having won only one match through the entire last season, head coach Thangboi Singto will have his job cut out in the coming days.