First leg goes goalless as HFC, ATK MB fail to fire

After failing to open the account in the first session, HFC had a chance to score in the 55th minute but saw the speedy Mohammad Yasir’s left-footer hit the vertical to the delight of the rival camp.

Defending champions, Hyderabad FC, and ATK Mohun Bagan were locked in a goalless draw in the first-leg of the semifinal in the Hero ISL at the Gachibowli Stadium here on Thursday.

It was a story of missed chances right through the contest with HFC being the culprit more times.

After failing to open the account in the first session, HFC had a chance to score in the 55th minute but saw the speedy Mohammad Yasir’s left-footer hit the vertical to the delight of the rival camp.

Though Mohun Bagan showed better enterprise and intent upfront in the second session, it failed to capitalise on the scoring chances. In the 81st minute, forward Liston Colaco’s long-ranger found the HFC custodian Gurmeet.

Even head coach Manolo Marquez’s familiar gamble of bringing on the star player Bartholomew Ogbeche as a substitute in the second-half in the 60th minute to lusty cheers, failed to break the deadlock though he did threaten to score twice

In the dying minutes, Mohun Bagan had one final shy at the goal when substitute Federico Gallego on the run down the centre essayed a beautiful short pass to omnipresent Dimitrios Petratos but was disappointed the latter’s right-footer land right in the HFC custodian Gurmeet.

Earlier, in the first-half, HFC had the first opportunity to strike in the seventh minute when Borja Gonzalez essayed a perfect cross to the waiting Joel Chianese whose right-footer was well blocked by custodian Vishal Kaith.