Defending champions ATK notched up their first home victory of Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18 when they edged Delhi Dynamos FC by a 1 – 0 scoreline at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday. Robbie Keane scored the winner with a superb finish, as ATK got their title defence back on track with successive triumphs.

The home team started off by taking the attack to the Lions. The first chance came in the fifth minute when Jayesh Rane, in his first start for the defending champions, could not put a free header on target following a lovely cross from Keane.

The visitors then had a couple of good chances in the 16th minute. First, Romeo Fernandes did well to cut in from the right and get his shot away. A deflection from the defender, however, sent the ball out for a corner. The resulting set-piece saw former ATK defender and Delhi skipper Pritam Kotal heading the ball on target, but once more it deflected off the defence for a corner.

Twelve minutes later, and for the third time, a similar story unfolded for Delhi. Romeo showed good skills to outfox Ashutosh Mehta and get his shot away, but Anwar Ali came in the way to help the ball deflect over for another corner.

Six minutes from half-time and ATK carved a glorious opportunity through Zequinha. Conor Thomas threaded a lovely pass that reached the Portuguese following a dummy from Keane. But after a good run that left him with only keeper Arnab Das Sharma to beat, he put his shot wide off the far post. This proved to be the last action of the half, as the score remained goalless at half-time.

Five minutes following the restart, Keane took a lovely touch to cushion the ball from Rane’s cross. But although he got a shot on target, the angle worked in favour of Sharma, who made a good save. In the 70th minute, ATK won a corner and Tom Thorpe rose high to meet the ball with his head, but it just looped over the crossbar.

The hosts though, finally broke the deadlock twelve minutes from time through a moment of magic from Keane. The Irishman chested the ball from substitute Bipin Singh’s headed pass, brought it down, and turned his marker before placing the ball exquisitely into the bottom right corner of the goal.

The two-time champions then played out the last few minutes of the game to hang on to the 1 – 0 lead and secure their first victory at home.

MATCH AWARDS

Club Award: ATK

Swift Moment of the Match: Robbie Keane

DHL Winning Pass of the Match: Bipin Singh

Amul Fittest Player: Pritam Kotal

Emerging Player: Hitesh Sharma

Hero of the Match: Robbie Keane