Points Table BDFA League 2015-16 - B Division

April 29, 2016

Fixture - BDFA B Division League 2015-16

• March 18, 2016, 2.30 PM: Parikrama 4 (Chiranjeevi 9', Tsong Mang 40', 50', Belly 67') Vs RBI 1 (Santosh 56 ') 
• March 18, 2016, 3.45 PM: RS Sports 2 (Madan 18', Sanath 39' [P]) Vs Bangalore Mars 0 
• March 19, 2016, 2.30 PM: Royals 4 (Johan-13' Aswin-16', 29', Deepak-25') Vs Jupiters 2 (Santh kumar-32' 70') 
• March 19, 2016, 3.45 PM: Minerva 0 Vs Universal 1 (Arvind-19')
• March 20, 2016, 2.30 PM: Sri Gajanana 6 (Stephen-4', 50', Vikram-12', 17', 44', Surya-34') Vs Southern Blues 0  
• March 20, 2016, 3.45 PM: Tilak Memorial 3 (Bharath-45' [P], 84' [P], Aditya-70') Vs Oriental 1 (Prakash-28') 
• March 21, 2016, 2.30 PM: RS Sports 1 (Naquir-44') Vs Parikrama 1 (Chiranjeevi-26')
• March 21, 2016, 3.45 PM: RBI 1 (Chiranjeevi-17') Vs Bangalore Mars 2 (Santhosh-34', Prakash-44') 
• March 22, 2016, 2.30 PM: Royals 1 (Ashwin-40') Vs Universal 1 (Sunil-60') 
• March 22, 2016, 3.45 PM: Jupiters 0 Vs Minerva 1 (Ramesh-6') 
• March 23, 2016, 2.30 PM: Sri Gajanana 3 (Stephen-6', 44', Sridhar-59') Vs Oriental 1 (Surendar-26') 
• March 23, 2016, 3.45 PM: Southern Blues 0 Vs Tilak Memorial 0 
• March 24, 2016, 2.30 PM: Bangalore Mars 2 (Karan-37', Prashanth-57') Vs Minerva 1 (Kishore Kiran-48')
• March 24, 2016, 3.45 PM: Universal 0 Vs Parikrma 2 (Chiranjeevi-19', Zamzai-37')
• March 25, 2016, 2.30 PM: RBI 0 Vs RS Sports 1 (Mahendra Mani–50')
• March 25, 2016, 3.45 PM: Royals 0 Vs Sri Gajanana 1 (Surya–68')
• March 26, 2016, 2.30 PM: Southern Blues 1 (R Paul-40) Vs Jupiters 1 ('Chinnappa-45')
• March 26, 2016, 3.45 PM: Parikrma 3 (Appu-16', Thong Mang-63', 73') Vs Oriental 0 
• April 28, 2016, 2.30 PM: Universal 0 Vs Tilak Memorial 1 (Rajesh–48')
  * Matches not played as per the scheduled date of March 27  
• April 28, 2016, 3.45 PM: RS Sports 1 (Kishore-13') Vs Sri Gajanana 6 (Suman-2', ', Vikram-4', 48', Varadaraj-40'[P], Bharathi-46', Stephen-69')
  * Matches not played as per the scheduled date of March 27 
• March 28, 2016, 2.30 PM: Bangalore Mars 2 (Prashanth-31', Giri-35') Vs Oriental 2 (Murali-28'Akshay-89')
• March 28, 2016, 3.45 PM: RBI 1 (Vinod kumar-47') 0 Vs Minerva 4 (Naveen-16', 21', 34', 53')
• March 29, 2016, 2.30 PM: Tilak Memorial 2 (Kiran-41',Prashanth-66') Vs Jupiters 1 (Mugilan-15')
• March 29, 2016, 3.45 PM: Southern Blues 2 (Ashok kumar-35'+1', Shamir Abraham-38') Vs Royals 3 (Ashwin-17', 20', Babu U-61')
• March 30, 2016, 2.30 PM: Parikrma 1 (Ajay-59') Vs Sri Gajanana 0 
• March 30, 2016, 3.45 PM: Universal 0 Vs RS Sports 1 (Selva-10')
• April 2, 2016, 2.30 PM: RBI 0 Vs Royals 3 (Stephen-10', Ashwin-53', 61')
• April 2, 2016, 3.45 PM: Tilak Memorial 0 Vs Bangalore Mars 0 
• April 3, 2016, 2.30 PM: Minerva 2 (Lokesh-30', Suresh-51') Vs Southern Blues 2 (Samir Abraham-9', Ring Pham-25')
• April 3, 2016, 3.45 PM: Jupiters 0 Vs Oriental 3 (Mohan-19', Murthy-38', Akshya-59')
• April 4, 2016, 2.30 PM: Parikrma 2 (Fayez-2', Sunil-66') Vs Tilak Memorial 3 (Santhosh-23', Kiran Kumar V-57', Paul-62')
• April 4, 2016, 3.45 PM: Sri Gajanana 2 (Vikram-6', Suman-70'+4' [P]) Vs Universal 1 (Sunil Kumar-24')
• April 5, 2016, 2.30 PM: Royals 1 (Ashwin-28') Vs RS Sports 1 (Arun -11')
• April 5, 2016, 3.45 PM: RBI 1 (Chiranjeevi-18') Vs Southern Blues 1 (Shamir Abraham-65') 
• April 6, 2016, 2.30 PM: Bangalore Mars 1 (Santhosh-10') Vs Jupiters 2 (Sanath-18', Santhosh-70'+2') 
• April 6, 2016, 3.45 PM: Minerva 0 Vs Oriental 1 (Akshay–5')
• April 7, 2016, 2.30 PM: Sri Gajanana 0 Vs Tilak Memorial 1 (Prashanth-20')
• April 7, 2016, 3.45 PM: Parikrma 3 (Ajay-5', Thong Mong-25', Chiranjeevi-39')Vs Southern Blues 1 (Shamir Abraham-66') 
• April 10, 2016, 2.30 PM: Universal 1 (Girish-70') Vs Oriental 7 (Bharath-16', 59', Murali-53', Immanuel-41', 46', Akshya-61', Gowtham-67') 
• April 10, 2016, 3.45 PM: Jupiters 1 (Santhosh-16') Vs RS Sports 2 (Udaya-39', Raghu-46')
• April 11, 2016, 2.30 PM: Sri Gajanana 3 (Joshua-16', 34', 35'+1') Vs RBI 1 (Santhosh-48')
• April 11, 2016, 3.45 PM: Bangalore Mars 1 (Wasim-35'+1') Vs Parikrma 3 (Chiranjieevi-3', 38', Prashanth-65')
• April 12, 2016, 2.30 PM: Minerva 0 Vs Royals 1 (Deepau–20')
• April 12, 2016, 3.45 PM: RS Sports 0 Vs Tilak Memorial 1 (Selva-16' [OG]) 
  * match postponed in order to facilitate teams practice for AFC Cup at the venue
• April 13, 2016, 2.30 PM: Southern Blues 2 (Ring Pham-39', Shamir Abraham-47')Vs Oriental 2 (Murthy-65'[P], Prakash-60'+2')
• April 13, 2016, 3.45 PM: RBI 4 (Santhosh-17', VinodKumar-20', 41', 53') Vs Jupiters 2 (ManiMaran- 46'[P], Prashanth-62')
• April 14, 2016, 2.30 PM: Universal 0 Vs Bangalore Mars 1 (Wasim-63')
• April 14, 2016, 3.45 PM: Royals 0 Vs Parikrma 2 (Dhushyanth-53', Jung Mung-70')
• April 17, 2016, 2.30 PM: Minerva 1 (Anil-43') Vs RS Sports 4 (Uday-6', Arunkumar-37', 69', 70'+3')
• April 17, 2016, 3.45 PM: Southern Blues 2 (Sonu Guptha-27', Ring Phohmia Asowa-46') Vs Universal 5 (Praveen-8', Rakesha-12', Sunil-22', 44', Prasad-64')
• April 18, 2016, 2.30 PM: RBI 1 (Vinod kumar-56') Vs Tilak Memorial 1 (Kiran-68')
• April 18, 2016, 3.45 PM: Bangalore Mars 0 Vs Sri Gajanana 1 (Joshua-16')
• April 19, 2016, 2.30 PM: Jupiters 0 Vs Parikrma 3 (Ravi Babu-13 [P], Thong Mang-43', 68')
• April 19, 2016, 3.45 PM: Oriental 2 (Akshya-22', Murali-64') Vs Royals 2 (Shabu-26', Aswin-62') 
• April 20, 2016, 2.30 PM: RS Sports 2 (Sanath Kumar-59', 60') Vs Southern Blues 0 
• April 20, 2016, 3.45 PM: Minerva 0 Vs Tilak Memorial 1 (Nitesh–52')
• April 21, 2016, 2.30 PM: Bangalore Mars 1 (Saravana–22') Vs Royals 0 
• April 21, 2016, 3.45 PM: Universal 0 Vs RBI 1 (Vinoth Kumar-60')
  * match postponed in order to facilitate BFC's practice 4.30 pm
• April 22, 2016, 2.30 PM: Sri Gajanana 5 (Bharath-3', Suren-30+2', Stephen- 52', 53', 54') Vs Jupiters 0
• April 22, 2016, 3.45 PM: Oriental 0 Vs RS Sports 1 (Arun Kumar-8')
• April 23, 2016, 2.30 PM: Parikrma 2 (Ravi babu-35'+2', 67') Vs Minerva 1 (Uday-15') 
• April 23, 2016, 3.45 PM: Bangalore Mars 1 (Wasim-16') Vs Southern Blues 2 (Shamir Abraham-3', 49') 
• April 24, 2016, 2.30 PM: Tilak Memorial 4 (Bharath-20', Nitesh-46', 48', Rajesh-59') Vs Royals 2 (Shabu -17', Naveen-32')
• April 24, 2016, 3.45 PM: Jupiters 1 (Raju-35') Vs Universal 4 (Irfan-6', Jinesh-16', Sunil-20', Arvind-31') 
• April 27, 2016, 2.30 PM: RBI 4 (VinothKumar-25', 45', 65', Shashank-50') Vs Oriental 2 (Emmenuel-27', Murali-48') 
• April 27, 2016, 3.45 PM: Minerva 0 Vs Sri Gajanana 6 (Vikram-11', 32', 39', Stephen-55', 62', Bharathi-60')
• April 28, 2016, 4 PM: Prize Distribution and Exhibition Match between the of the BDFA B Division League 2015-16
  Parikrama Vs Sri Gajanana  

Chhetri goal gives Bengaluru key win against Ayeyawady

Bengaluru FC Media  

Skipper Sunil Chhetri struck in the 34th minute to give JSW Bengaluru FC a vital win and keep their AFC Cup campaign on track as the Blues beat Ayeyawady United 1-0 at the Youth Training Centre, in Myanmar, on Wednesday.  Bengaluru’s first points in the competition this season put them on joint second in Group H with three points alongside Ayeyawady and Lao Toyota while Malaysian team Johor Darul Ta’zim keep pole position.

The game was played in telling weather conditions prompting referee Aziz Asimov to ring in water breaks once in each half but Bengaluru did well to battle the heat and opponents who have an enviable home record in Asian competition.  Ashley Westwood’s boys could have finished things off more comfortably had it not been for two gilt-edged chances that CK Vineeth and Udanta Singh should have done better with.

Having lost their first two games, Bengaluru made the trip to Yangon knowing that even a draw could prove fatal for their chances to come out of the group stages and Westwood’s boys made their intentions clear, regularly creating chances in and around the Ayeyawady box.

It was Chhetri’s move that led to the goal when, after picking the ball on the edge of the box, he did well to find Udanta with a deft flick. The No.21 chose to cut back for the skipper who seemed to have miscued his shot and failed to connect cleanly. But Ayeyawady ’keeper Vanlal Hruai dived to his left in anticipation only to see the ball trickle in on his right.

Earlier Westwood started with a back four that had Keegan Pereira partnering John Johnson in the centre for a third straight game after regular centre-half Curtis Osano didn’t recover from a tweaked groin to make the squad. The gaffer also handed Alwyn George and Siam Hanghal starts in a midfield completed by Chhetri and Michael Collins while Udanta partnered Kim Song Yong ahead.

Down a goal at home, Ayeyawady began chasing the game and had a spell where a flurry of half-chances were either thwarted away by the Blues’ defence or squandered with tame attempts that Amrinder Singh didn’t have to do much to save. But Ayeyawady’s best chance to equalise came in the 73rd minute when Christopher Chizoba and Thiha Zaw found themselves in a 2v1 situation only for Chhuantea to stick in a leg for a timely interception of a pass that Zaw was waiting to put away.

Bengaluru had big chances of their own, ones which if taken, could have quelled any sort of fight from Ayeyawady. Second half substitute, Vineeth did well to beat the off-side trap and finding himself with only Hruai to get past, inexplicably shot at the ’keeper. And just when Bengaluru put away the disappointment of that wasted chance, Udanta squandered one just minutes later. Picking the ball just ahead of the halfway line, the youngster exhibited great pace and brawn to dart into the Ayeyawady box. But with three options at his disposal, Vineeth being the best, he chose to go on his own only to see his strike scrambled away by the Ayeyawady  custodian.

The Blues now have a welcome gap of a fortnight before they resume their League campaign when they host Mumbai FC on April 2. 

Match Preview: AFC Cup - Ayeyawady United vs Bengaluru FC

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC will look to pick up their first points in Group H of the AFC Cup when they take on Ayeyawady United at the Youth Training Centre in Yangon, Myanmar on Wednesday. Ashley Westwood’s side arrived in the former capital on Monday with temperatures hovering around the 40 degree mark and have their task cut out against the Cup champions of Myanmar.

The Blues played defending champions Johor Darul Ta’zim last week in Bengaluru and were unlucky to come away without a point after the Malaysian team needed a debatable freekick to quell what was a brave challenge from a relatively young Bengaluru side. Ayeyawady meanwhile bounced back from an 8-1 campaign opening defeat to Johor with a 4-2 victory over Lao Toyota.

Hit with a slew of injuries, Ashley Westwood has constantly had to shuffle his side to deal with a packed domestic calendar and Asian competition and it will be interesting to see what team the Englishman rolls out on Wednesday. Curtis Osano and CK Vineeth, who missed the Blues’ last two games with groin strains, have made the trip while skipper Sunil Chhetri, who had no part to play in the defeat to Johor, could be in contention to make the starting XI.

Johor with two wins in as many games lead Group H with 6 points followed by Ayeyawady and Lao with 3 points each while Bengaluru lie at the bottom with a chance to climb up on Wednesday.

Ayeyawady will be relying on their Nigerian striker Christopher Chizoba who notched up a hat-trick in the win over Lao. Chizoba, interestingly, has an India connection of sorts having turned out for Kolkata side Mohun Bagan. He also had stints at Kalighat MS, Mohammedan Sporting, Shillong Lajong and Lonestar Kashmir FC.  

Bengaluru, however, will not have too much to worry about at the back should they be able to churn out the defensive performance like the one they rolled out against Johor. Young Salam Ranjan Singh was composed alongside John Johnson while Keegan Pereira, Lalchhuanmawia and Rino Anto refused to let anything slip by between them.

Vineeth’s return should also boost the Blues’ attack should Westwood decide to play him. The quick striker has five goals for the Blues in all competitions and was on target in the loss against Lao Toyota. Udanta Singh, meanwhile, has been improving with every game and could play a pivotal part in Bengaluru’s scheme of things on Wednesday.

The game kicks off at 3 pm IST. 

Super and A Division exhibition matches tomorrow

The top two teams of the recently concluded BDFA Super and A division will be playing exhibition matches at the Bangalore Football Stadium tomorrow evening. 

Winner of A Division AGORC will be playing against runner up ADE at 3 pm. Crowned Super Division champion, OZONE FC Bengaluru will be playing against South United at 4 pm.

Sri EE Karthak, Regional Director for Karnataka, Reserve Bank of India, Bangalore will be the chief guest, he will be giving away the trophies, mementos, and prize money. Also, there will be prize money for the winners of BDFA lower division, B and C. 

Bengaluru go down fighting to Johor Darul Ta’zim

Bengaluru FC Media 

A young and resilient Bengaluru FC side battled hard but were unlucky to go down 1-0 to a full strength Johor Darul Ta’zim team in an AFC Cup Group H game at the Kanteerava, in Bengaluru, on Wednesday. Skipper Safiq Rahim scored with a contentiously awarded second-half freekick to leave the Blues feeling hard done given the way they refused to give anything for most of the game.

Hit with a slew of injuries and playing what was their fifth game in 14 days, the Bengaluru FC line-up was always going to be an interesting one. And Ashley Westwood threw in more than just a few surprises in the starting XI, handing defender Ranjan Salam Singh his BFC debut while Bengaluru boy Vishal Kumar got his first minutes on the pitch this season as part of a five-man defence that included Keegan Pereira, Lalchhuanmawia and Chhuantea.

Curtis Osano and CK Vineeth, who Westwood said would be doubtful starters, didn’t make the squad as Udanta Singh had Len Doungel for a partner in attack.

The reigning AFC Cup champions’ opener came in the 55^th minute after Keegan was harshly adjudged to have brought down Mohammed Amirulhadi on the edge of the box even as Bengaluru protests of a dive fell on deaf ears. Safiq stepped up and sent his take beyond Lalthuammawia Ralte’s right to finally break Bengaluru’s resistance.

Only minutes earlier, the Blues could have had a goal of their own when an unmarked Johnson headed wide from Udanta’s freekick. But Bengaluru’s best chance came in the 85^th minute when Udanta’s cross from the right was palmed away by ’keeper Mohammed Izham only to fall to Alwyn George. With Izham on the floor, George beat his marker but inexplicably fired wide from close as the Bengaluru bench threw their arms up in disbelief.

Bengaluru next travel to Myanmar where Westwood’s side take on Ayeyawady on the 16^th in what will be a must-win game if the Blues are to keep hope of getting out of the group alive. 

Bengaluru take on Johor Darul Ta'zim tomorrow at Kanteerava

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC will be up against reigning champions Johor Darul Ta’zim of Malaysia when AFC Cup action returns to the Kanteerava Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Wednesday night but Blues gaffer Ashley Westwood said his side will play without the burden of pressure and look to give a good account of themselves.  “It’s going to be a good game. They are a good team and are champions of the AFC Cup with right reason. We’ve played them last season and know what to expect from them. They have made a couple of changes from last year and I believe they are stronger,” said Westwood of the opposition that is coached by Argentine Mario Gomez.  The two sides met in the AFC Champions League qualifier last season at the Tan Sri Dato Haji Hassan Yunos Stadium – a dramatic game that Eugeneson Lyngdoh took to extra-time swinging home directly from a corner in the 90th minute before Chanturu Suppiah’s winner in the 98th minute quelled what was more than a valiant show on Bengaluru's Asian debut.  Injuries have hampered Bengaluru’s season and with the Blues set to play their fifth game in 14 days, a packed schedule hasn’t helped either. “We’ve traveled away to Laos, played at home before traveling to Shillong and then Goa with most of these trips being 3 am starts. There is fatigue from all the travel but we’ll see who looks fresh at training and pick a team that will give us the best chance to qualify out of the group." said Westwood.  Striker CK Vineeth and central defender Curtis Osano, both recovering from groin strains, are doubtful starters while Lyngdoh is yet to completely recover from a fracture. Midfielder Shankar Sampingiraj, meanwhile, has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a ruptured cruciate.  JDT began their title defence in emphatic fashion, beating Myanmar club Ayeyawady United 8-1 with their Argentine striking pair of Pereyra Diaz and Juan Lucero among the goals while club and national team skipper Mohd. Safiq bagged a hat-trick. “They (JDT) are a very good side technically. They play with a lot of quick touches and have good players. They have a good set of strikers, a good defence and good foreigners. They have spent good money in the transfer market and that has let them buy the best out there. They are a good side but not unbeatable. We aren’t going into this game to make up the numbers but to give a good account of ourselves. We are playing a decent Asian side and we believe we are one as well,” said Westwood.  Echoing the gaffer’s sentiments was skipper Sunil Chhetri who said the team was motivated to do well, given the manner things ended up the last time they played JDT. “We backed ourselves there and did well and when we play at home, we back ourselves even more. As players we are going to look the other way in terms of fatigue and hectic travel and go out there and give nothing less than 100%.” 

Bengaluru fail to earn full-points against 10-men Sporting

I-League Media  

AIFF Media  

Bengaluru FC came back from two goals down but couldn’t do enough to eke out a win against a ten-man Sporting Clube de Goa at the Fatorda Stadium, in Goa, on Sunday. The game ended 2-2 after skipper Sunil Chhetri struck once in each half after a freak Mascarenhas goal and an Odafa Okolie strike gave the hosts a lead.

Bengaluru were dealt with an early blow after defender Curtis Osano had to be replaced by Keegan Pereira after the former pulled his groin just fifteen minutes into the game. The home side took the lead with a freak goal just two minutes later after Lalthuammawia Ralte’s clearance from a Lalchhuanmawia back-pass rebounded off an onrushing Marcus Mascarenhas and bounced into the Bengaluru goal.

The Blues tried their best to reduce the deficit recycling well in midfield to let Udanta and Chhetri attack the flanks. Striker Kim Song Yong came close to scoring the Blues equalizer but a cross into the box from Udanta was inches away from the diving North Korean.

Against the run of play, Sporting extended their lead through a long-range shot from Odafa Okolie. The Nigerian striker collected a pass from Mahmoud Al-Amna before taking a shot that found its way past a diving Ralte in the Blues’ goal.

But Bengaluru clawed right back into the tie at the death of the first half when Loveday Okechukwu brought down John Johnson in the box and referee Santosh Kumar promptly pointed to the spot where Chhetri found the Blues’ opener from. Booked for the foul, Loveday received marching orders only a minute later when he hacked down Udanta while the winger was charging down the right.

Starting the second half with a goal to show for and a man more than Sporting, Bengaluru switched gears, leaving the hosts to defend deep. Michael Collins came close to getting Bengaluru an equaliser and what could have been his first goal for the Blues only to see his goal-bound low drive pushed out by Arindam Bhattacharya.

Bengaluru eventually did find their equaliser when Chhetri tapped into an empty goal after Daniel Lalhlimpuia’s cross fell perfectly for the skipper. The Blues ventured forward with intent and came close to finding a winner when a strike from inside the area by Lalchhuanmawia went inches high of the Sporting frame.

The result leaves Bengaluru second on the table, level on points with Mohun Bagan, who have a game in hand over the Blues. Westwood’s men return to AFC Cup duties as they face defending Champions Johor Darul Ta’zim at the Kanteerava Stadium, on Wednesday. 

Udanta, Kim rule as Bengaluru register their first win in Shillong

AIFF Media 
Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC broke the jinx beating Shillong Lajong FC by unassailable margin of 2-0 in the Hero I-League encounter at the JN Stadium tonight. Goals by Udanta Singh (36') and Kim Song Yong (82') in either half summed up the first win for the Steelmen over the Reds in Shillong.

Placed second in the standings now behind the league leaders Mohun Bagan, Bengaluru FC are certainly on course to stake a claim on their second Hero I-League title.

Earlier, youngster Udanta Singh started on a high note for Bengaluru FC to make a breakthrough in the fifth minute when he smashed just wide of the nets. Bengaluru continued to press hard but the efforts by John Johnson and Kim Song Yong were unable to bear results. 

Udanta, meanwhile, had another unsuccessful shy at the nets in the 20th minute. He was finally rewarded 6 minutes after the half-hour mark when he found the back of the net from close range in the second attempt. The free kick by Osano was received calmly by Kim Song Yong and delivered towards the youngster who did no mistake to net his maiden goal of the season. 

The scores remained 1-0 at half time in the favour of the away team.

Luck was surely not with Lajong today, two minutes into the second half, the Reds were deprived of a certain goal when Samuel Lalmuanpuia's screamer rattled the crossbar. 

Bengaluru FC, meanwhile, balanced out their tasks by then and were doing well on both fronts. After being turned down for an offside in the 80th minute, Kim Song Yong made sure he features in the scorers' list with a thudding header a couple of minutes later. 

A well-directed corner kick by Udanta was flicked into the net by the North Korean striker as Vishal Kaiht was completely off his position.

The score remained at 2-0 till the full time, even as Uilliams Silva was guilty of squandering an opportunity for the hosts in the stoppage time.

Bengaluru FC have the monkey off their back now and they are travelling to Goa to settle the score with Sporting Clube de Goa on 6th March. 

Bengaluru expects tough outing as they take on Lajong tomorrow

AIFF Media 
Bengaluru FC Media  

An ambitious Bengaluru FC would look to settle for nothing less than a win when take on hosts Shillong Lajong FC in the reverse fixture at the JN Stadium tomorrow evening to ensure that they stay alive in the title hunt.

Placed second in the Hero I-League table, the Blues are breathing on the Mariners' neck, and coach Ashley Westwood is well aware that any let up at the moment would seriously dent his side’s title chances, “If we can come up with the right result, we can go at the top of the league tomorrow evening (depending on how Mohun Bagan play today).” The Bengaluru FC gaffer, however, added that it is no easy task to come and sweep all three points from Shillong, “The pitch is really hard and bouncy one, it acts as a leveler between the two sides.”

Talking about his side’s performance till now Westwood said, “We've won 6 out of 9 games. Not too realistic to have expected any better than that. We're on track even after a tough start to the season with 4 out of 5 away games.”

Shillong Lajong FC have done well to be on the fifth spot in the standings with a considerably young team and they are well aware of the huge challenge that awaits them tomorrow.

Bengaluru FC have beaten the Reds 3-0 in the first leg of the Hero I-League this season and coach Thangboi Singto admitted that it was always a tough ask to play a side like Bengaluru.

Singto, however, derived confidence from his side’s performance against the visitors in Shillong during the previous seasons. “We have done well against them at home and we are positive going into tomorrow’s encounter.”

It may be mentioned that Bengaluru FC are yet to beat the Reds at home. Lajong defender Yusuke Yamagata is still out even Fabio Pena and Uilliams are also doubtful tomorrow. The Reds coach, however, exuded confidence that the Indian players are well capable of filling up for their foreign 

The match is slated to kick off at 7 pm and the Hero I-League encounter will be telecast live and exclusively on Ten Action.