Bengaluru FC 1-0 Chennaiyin FC Highlights, Indian Super League: Blues Seal Playoffs Spot With Bheke Goal; Marina Machans Knocked Out

🐟The Indian Super League match will kick off at 7:30pm IST, and can be live streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India. It will be live telecast on the Asianet Plus, Sports 18 Khel and Star Sports 3 TV channels in India.

𝄹Here's how the two teams lineup, ahead of kick-off in Bengaluru:

The two sides have played 16 matches against each other, with Bengaluru FC winning nine games and Chennaiyin FC ဣemerging victorious four times. Three encounters have produced draws.

🌳Bengaluru attacking from left to right in the first half. The equation for them is simple: win the match, seal a play-offs spot. They garner their first corner in the seventh minute, but nothing comes of it. The very next minute, Alberto Noguera is caught offside.

Chennaiyin FC's chances of making the play-offs are remote at best. They would need to win all their remaining matches, including a victory over NorthEast United FC, and hope the Highlanders lose their other game or that Mumbai City FC lose all their remaining matches. Additionally, Owen Coyle's team would need Odisha FC to drop at least two more points, as well as Kerala Blasters ℱFC and Punjab FC to drop points in any of their remaining matches.

ꦇIt has been a bit of a cagey affair so far, with Bengaluru secure in the knowledge that a play-offs spot is well within their reach. Chennaiyin have all to do, on the other hand, but are unable to find a breakthrough in the first half hour.

🃏The Blues go ahead in the 37th minute. It is their captain Rahul Bheke, who responds to Alberto Noguera's setpiece-cross beautifully, surging ahead and meeting it with his right foot to volley the ball into the top right corner. The Kanteerava comes alive as Bheke scores his third goal of the season to put BFC in front.

𒐪The whistle is blown after 2 minutes of added time in the first half. The Blues go into the mid-game break ahead, though just by a solitary goal. The Marina Machans must not only equalize but also find a winner, if they are to keep their play-off hopes alive. As for Bengaluru FC, the current scoreline would seal the qualification deal.

🍌The Blues have a genuine goal-scoring opportunity early after the mid-game interval. Edgar Mendez takes a crack with his right foot from just outside the box, but the shot soars over the goal.

♋The talismanic Sunil Chhetri has finally made his way into the action. The Indian football bulwark and Bengaluru darling is substituted in for Sivasakthi Narayanan in the 56th minute.

ꦉChennaiyin need to be far more clinical in the final third than they are currently, if they are to turn things around from here. Ryan Williams misses from just outside the box in the 59th minute, and Connor Shields' header to a Vignesh Dakshinamurthy cross misses to the right in the 64th. Lalrinliana Hnamte then takes a long shot from 35 yards out, but it sails over the bar.

ꦫDaniel Chima replaces Wilmar Jordan, Jitendra Singh comes in for Lalrinliana Hnamte, Vignesh Dakshinamurthy is subbed out in favour of Pachuau Laldinpuia and Aleksandar Jovanovic is in for Namgyal Bhutia in the Chennaiyin camp. As for Bengaluru FC, they replace Namgyal Bhutia with Aleksandar Jovanovic.

ꦚAnd that's that. The final whistle is blown, and the scoreline reads 1-0 in favour of the hosts. Captain Rahul Bheke's 37th-minute strike is enough to seal the deal for Bengaluru FC, who are now officially through to the playoffs as they are guaranteed a top-six spot. Chennaiyin, on the other hand, are knocked out of playoffs reckoning with this defeat.

🎶The Blues, assured a playoff spot, will travel to Kolkata to meet East Bengal at the Salt Lake Stadium on March 2. As for the Marina Machans, they will look to end the season on an upbeat note and finish as high as they can on the table, though it won't be in the top six. They face NorthEast United next on March 3 at home.