Bengaluru hammer Jain Academy 7-0 in Sub-Junior League

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC cruised to their seventh straight victory in the Hero Sub-Junior League after a massive 7-0 win over Jain Academy for Sporting Excellence encounter at the Jain Global Campus in Bengaluru on Thursday. 

In another match from the same group, Boca Juniors Football School defeated Ananthpur Sports Academy 4-1. 

In a completely one-sided affair, it was goals from Aditya Kalasur (24’, 33’), Chandan Biju (27’), Yodhin Rishyak (35’, 66’), Gautam Rajesh (46’) and Ayush Goel (56’) that handed Rajan Mani’s boys their second biggest win of the campaign, following their 11-0 hammering of the same opponent on the opening day.

The win also took the Young Blues’ tally to 21 points further increasing their lead in Group B of the Bengaluru Zone having already booked their spot in the final phase of the competition.

Bengaluru FC will now host Ananthapur Sports Academy at the Bengaluru Football Stadium on April 4 in their last game of the zonal phase. 

Former state footballer Thirugnanam no more

Thirugnanam, 48, former Santosh Trophy footballer, passed away yesterday at Vivekangar. He came up through youth football by playing for Karnataka in Under-16, -18, -21 nationals before representing the state in the 1994 edition of Santosh Trophy at Orissa. 

He played for BEML before moving to Food Corporation of India, Kolkata, along with Nickson, Dakshinamurthy, where he was employed.  

Thirugnanam left his wife, and a daughter and son. 

He was cremated today afternoon at the Wilson Garden Crematorium. A minute of silence was observed today during the BDFA C Division League match.

 

Ozone held to 2-2 draw by South United

South United Media

Looking hungry for a win in their last outing of the 2019 Hero Second Division League, South United FC, even after taking lead on two occasions were dragged back by a resilient Ozone FC
Ozone started the game with a series of long throw-ins to test the SUFC defence but they proved to be difficult to penetrate. The visiting side were persistent and proving to be a thorn in SUFC’s side especially from set pieces. 

Ozone kept SUFC pegged back but were unable to really test the defence in any of the attacking spells. SUFC had most of their chances on the break testing the keeper on a couple of occasions before they broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute. Krishan’s corner landed at Rungsing’s feet and the striker rolled the ball home from a few yards away.

Ozone looked filled with purpose after conceding the goal but SUFC’s pressing and closing down forced mistakes out of them and they were unable to find a way through the defensive block of South United.

With only the second chance they created in the second half, Ozone FC were able to equalise in the 55th minute as Harpreet Kumar was allowed to run unchecked from deep. He found himself unmarked in the box and slotted his shot just inside the far post going across the keeper.

The home side created more and more dangerous chances now in pursuit of victory. Cletus and Aaron would both have chances before the introduction of Sudipta. The diminutive winger injected a spark in SUFC’s attack.

A sublime move in the 68th minute from SUFC that released Aaron down the right flank for SUFC ended in him squaring it off to Sudipta who didn’t miss from 2 yards out to give his side the lead once again.

SUFC followed up the second goal with some good play, winning the ball high up the pitch and running at the Ozone defence and it looked for a few minutes that they were going to seal their victory before a defensive mix-up in the 82nd minute led to Krishanu heading the ball into his own net to bring the teams back on level terms.

Bengaluru FC boys qualify for final phase in Sub-Junior League

Bengaluru FC Media

Bengaluru FC boys came from behind to secure a 3-1 win over Raman Sports Academy in their sixth game in Group B of the Bengaluru Zone in the Hero Sub-Junior League, at the Bengaluru Football Stadium, yesterday. The win sealed a top place finish in Group B of the Bengaluru Zone for the Young Blues (18 points) who qualified for the final phase of the competition with an unassailable lead at the top with two rounds to go. 

In what was their sixth successive win, it was Ashem Robert Meitei who gave the visitors a 23rd minute lead before goals from all three BFC strikers, Ayush Goel (33’), Ishaan Raghunanda (66’) and Yodhin Rishyak (68’), made it 3-1 to the Young Blues. 

Raman Vijayan Sports Academy were handed a lead inside the half hour mark as a free-kick from the edge of the box deflected off Joshua Wilson in the BFC wall to drop kindly at the far post where Meitei made no mistake with the tap-in. Bengaluru responded just 10 minutes later as Yodhin and Ishaan combined in midfield before the latter drove forward with possession. Ishaan’s cross into the area would be converted by Ayush with a left-footed shot as both sides entered the break with the scores level. 

Raman Sports Academy would deny the young Blues on multiple occasions but mistakes from goalkeeper Arnav Sharma would cost them in the final ten minutes. Unable to judge the direction of a cross from Ishaan, Arnav fumbled at the near post, gifting Bengaluru a lead with four minutes left to play. The ‘keeper would be in the thick of the action once again as Yodhin’s long-range effort would slip through his grasp and roll past the goal-line, handing the young Blues all points for a sixth game on the trot. 

Bengaluru FC next face Jain Academy for Sporting Excellence on March 28th, at the Jain Global Campus Ground.

Bengaluru Reserves beat ARA FC, remain unbeaten In 2nd division

Bengaluru FC Media  

Bengaluru FC B got back to winning ways with a dominant 2-0 win over Ahmedabad-based ARA FC in a Round 6 encounter of the Hero 2nd Division League at the Bengaluru Football Stadium, on Wednesday. Second half goals from Naorem Roshan Singh (47’) and Altamash Sayed (73’) sealed the points for Naushad Moosa’s Blue Colts, as they moved seven points clear at the top of Group A in the standings, while extending their unbeaten run to six games.

Going into the game after a goalless draw against LoneStar Kashmir five days ago, Coach Naushad Moosa made one change, with versatile midfielder Biswa Darjee replacing Sairuat Kima in the Starting XI. In a half that saw very few clear chances for either side, it was BFC’s Roshan Singh who came the closest to find the back of the net, but the winger’s left-footed grounder came off the upright after he managed to create space outside the box and take a swipe in the 36th minute.

ARA ’keeper Abhishek Das pulled off a point blank save from a Myron Mendes header after Altamash Sayed’s cross as both teams went into the tunnel with the scores unchanged. The second half sprung to life inside two minutes as the hosts broke the deadlock. Roshan Singh capitalised on a miscued clearance from Abhishek and slotted home from close for his fourth goal of the campaign.

The early goal gave Moosa’s boys a much-needed confidence boost, as they began dominating proceedings even more. With ARA just pushing up on counters, BFC B practically stayed put in the rival half for most of the second period.

Parag Shrivas had a good chance when he set on a solo down the middle, but his powerful drive was tipped over by Das in the 70th minute. However, the ARA ’keeper was helpless three minutes later when a quick interplay between substitutes Advait Shinde and Amay Morajkar on the right saw the latter send Altamash free in the box who took a touch before calmly finishing at the far post to make it 2-0.

Bengaluru FC B now travel north to face LoneStar Kashmir on Wednesday, March 27, in a fixture that has been rescheduled to take place at the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Sports Complex, in Katra, Jammu.

South United beat Fateh Hyderabad, register first win in second division

South United Media 

A cagey game saw both sides put on a disciplined performance, which South United FC (SUFC) did just enough to walk away with a narrow win in the end. While most of Fateh Hyderabad's attacking threat early in came through long throws, SUFC were reliant on some great wing play. However, both teams put on a stellar defensive show for most of the game and only saw themselves lose shape towards the end.

SUFC channeled most of their attacks on the left flank through Aaron and Sudipta. They were involved in the best chance of the first half as they created a great opportunity for Rungsing, whose composure let him down in front of goal.

The stand out performance of the half came from defender Amit Tudu who was at the end of every cross and made a number of important blocks to keep his side in the game.

The second half started in the same vein as the first, with time however, both sides began to venture forward much more.

This saw FHAFC press high up the pitch and win the ball in dangerous areas. On one such occasion they came within a hair's breadth of getting the lead but Jayanth's superb reactions kept them in the game.

Only a few minutes later, Aaron was released down the right, he did well to beat his man and roll the ball into Jotin Singh's path and he made no mistake from a few yards out.

The visiting side pushed hard in the remaining 20 minutes to pull level, but despite coming close on a couple of occasions, SUFC held out to clinch the win.