[AFC Cup] Bengaluru beat Abahani 4-0, make it to knockout stage

Bengaluru FC Media 

It took a bit of everything – a boss-like show in Dhaka, drama in Guwahati, a big push from a resolute Aizawl FC side as Bengaluru FC finished as champions of the South Zone, and finally booked a place in the knock-out stages of the AFC Cup for a fourth straight season. 

Goals from Daniel Segovia (13’), Nishu Kumar (16’, 58’) and Sunil Chhetri (60’) gave the Blues a 4-0 win over Abahani Limited Dhaka. But it was the game in Guwahati that would decide Bengaluru’s fate where Aizawl who needed to beat New Radiant or hold the Maldivian side to a draw for Bengaluru to go through. And the Santosh Kashyap-coached side chose the three-point route to aid the Blues, beating New Radiant 2-1. 

The water-logged pitch from overnight showers looked like giving Bengaluru FC trouble, but two quick goals in a span of three minutes dispelled any such worries for Albert Roca. Playing a slightly heavy version of their free-flowing brand of football, the Blues shot into the lead when Chhetri rolled the ball perfectly across the face of the goal, leaving Segovia with the simple job of scoring past Abahani ’keeper Sahidul Alam to make it 1-0. 

Chhetri then squirmed past two blue Abahani shirts to tee up Nishu who slammed the ball low to the corner and beyond Alam. The two early blows were enough to prompt Abahani into submission as Bengaluru hogged possession and began camping in the hosts’ final third. 

Chhetri then completed a hat-trick of assists when he chipped over the Abahani defence for Nishu to fantastically control the ball on his chest before firing home from close to make it 3-0. The skipper finally got into the act on the hour mark when Alam spilled a cross that fell to Chhetri who scored his 24th goal of the season with a simple finish after holding off a defender. 

Elsewhere in Aizawl where everyone who had anything to do with Bengaluru FC had their eyes on, Leonce Dodoz gave the hosts a 61st minute lead that Romanian Andrei Ionescu doubled in the 82nd minute. New Radiant needed three goals to keep their hopes of making the knock-out stages alive and Ibrahim Hassan began the fight with an 85th minute strike. But Aizawl, with nothing to play for in Group E, clung on to the lead that sent the squad in Dhaka in raptures. 

A draw process that involves four zones – Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia and ASEAN - will determine Bengaluru’s next opponents. While three group winners have been decided, the final of the ASEAN Zone is yet to take place.

AFC Cup Group E: Bengaluru come from a goal down to beat Aizawl

Bengaluru FC Media

Goals from Daniel Segovia (45+1’), Rahul Bheke (63’) and Daniel Lalhlimpuia (77’) ensured Bengaluru FC maintained their perfect start to their Group E campaign of the AFC Cup with a 3-1 win over Aizawl FC at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, in Guwahati, on Thursday.

Trailing after an early setback, Albert Roca’s boys kept their calm and went about staging an assured comeback that now sees them with six points from two games. The Spaniard underlined the faith he had in the squad that has been getting more than just the job done for the Blues in this season’s continental campaign so far, by naming Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh and Udanta Singh among others, on the bench.

The Blues got off to a poor start under the rain conceding inside five minutes. Skipper Lalthuammawia Ralte, who rushed ahead to clear a through pass from Andrei Ionescu aimed at attacker Albert Zohmingmawia, found his effort come off striker Leonce Dodoz (5’) and roll into an empty net to give the hosts an early lead.

While Aizawl opted to protect their lead by sitting back, the next forty minutes saw Bengaluru press and dominate proceedings spare the odd attack on the counter from the hosts. The Blues finally made the huge chunk of possession count at the stroke of half time. Erik Paartalu’s header from a Bengaluru corner caught the hand of Dodoz in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Segovia stepped up to calmly slot home his first goal since joining the club in the middle of the season, to make it 1-1.

Bengaluru and Segovia had a big chance to score a second minutes into the start of the second half, but the striker fluffed his lines from the spot after Subhasish Bose was brought down in the box. Segovia sent Avilash Paul the wrong way only to see his take come off the post and roll out.

But the Blues refused to let the miss dampen their chase for the lead and their wait wasn’t too long before they got the goal to send them ahead. A corner played short saw Alwyn George lose a man before sending in a cross that Bheke did well to nod home in the 63rd minute.

Second half substitute Lalhlimpuia who scored the winner in the Blues’ Group E opener against Abahani Dhaka Limited, got his second of the campaign in the 77th minute. Setting off on a run down the left with the ball, Bose squared the ball perfectly for Lalhlimpuia who took a touch before slotting past Paul who could maybe have done better to keep it out.

Lalhlimpuia could have got his second of the night after some fantastic work by George saw him tee up the striker. But this time, Paul got enough of a hand on the ball to keep it out.

Bengaluru now host Maldivian side New Radiant SC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on April 10.

Resilient Bengaluru defeat Aizawl, enter Federation Cup final

Bengaluru FC Media 

Amrinder Singh saved a penalty in the last minute of additional time (90+7) to dump Aizawl FC out of the Federation Cup and send Bengaluru FC to the final after Cameron Watson scored from the spot in the 8th minute in a dramatic semifinal at the Barabati Stadium, in Cuttack, on Sunday.

With captain Sunil Chhetri ruled out of the tournament with a muscle injury, Roca handed CK Vineeth a start as striker ahead of Len Doungel while Eugeneson Lyngdoh returned to side after a suspension and was drafted out wide.

The Blues started on the offense with shots from Vineeth and Lyngdoh saved by Gomes before a tackle from Kingsley Eze on Alwyn George prompted referee to point to the spot in the 8th minute. Watson, stepping up in the absence of Chhetri, made no mistake as he slotted past Albino Gomes to score his first goal for the Blues and give Roca’s side an early lead.

Bengaluru pushed forward and almost found a second when Alwyn sent Vineeth through on goal but Kingsley recovered to make the tackle before the Blues’ number 31 could get a shot away.

The Blues’ best chance of the half came from Watson once again. The Australian curved a shot past the Aizawl defence only to see it cannon back into play off the post for Lyngdoh’s effort on the rebound to find its way into the hands of Gomes.

Roca brought in Cornell Glen for Vineeth a little beyond the hour mark and the No.9 was a handful for the Aizawl defence who found his strength tough to deal with. Infusing a little pace, the Blues then brought on Udanta Singh for Lyngdoh and the youngster always looked a threat on the counter.

Glen came close in the 89th minute when after being picked out by a pass from Harmanjot Khabra, he lost his man with a feint only to see his curled effort with the left roll wide.

The Blues were made to deal with drama at the end when Jhingan’s foul on Bayi Kamo prompted the referee to award Aizawl a penalty in the seventh minute of added time. Chullova stepped up to take the spot-kick but Amrinder guessed right to make the save in what was the very last action of the game.

Building on a compact showing against Bagan, the Blues’ three-man defence with the two wing-backs in support, were on top of their game. John Johnson, who wore the captain’s armband, was at his clinical best, keeping Kamo out of the game. 

The Blues will face Mohun Bagan in the final, following the Mariners' 2-0 semifinal win over East Bengal. The summit clash will be played at the Barabati Stadium, on 21 May.

Unlucky Bengaluru settle for draw after wasting a penalty and getting a goal disallowed

AIFF Media 
Bengaluru FC Media 

In a much anticipated Hero I-League match between Aizawl FC and Bengaluru FC, the final whistle blew with a 1-1 tie with both goals scored in the first half within a span of 5 minutes by Brandon and Chhetri. Brandon Vanlalremdika (40′) opened the goalmouth whereas Sunil Chhetri (45′) cancelled the home team’s lead at the stroke of the first half.

Meanwhile, this goal added another feather in the talismanic striker’s hat as he leapfrogged Bhaichung Bhutia to score the most number of goals combining NFL & I-League. Bhaichung Bhutia had enjoyed the cushion until today with 89 goals.

Bengaluru FC did no less scoring an equaliser just 5 minutes later when captain Sunil Chhetri received the ball and shot it straight into the top corner of the box from about 30 yards away. The half time ended with the 1-1 tie.

Aizawl FC looked the better team in the first half with 3 shots on target while the away team had a single shot on target. Away keeper Amrinder Singh also saved his team in the 32nd minute when he successfully blocked a powerful shot by Alfred Jaryan moments after Al-Amna’s header hit the bar.

Hero I-League has always drawn a large crowd of ardent football fans in Aizawl, and today’s match too saw a great number of spectators. The second half kicked off again to a vibrant start.

Bengaluru FC missed their chance to lead in the 55th minute when Sunil Chhetri stepped up to take the penalty which was punched away by Aizawl FC keeper Albino Gomes. Gomes now claims two penalty saves this season, earlier came when he denied Fabio Pena in their home match against Shillong Lajong.

Just minutes before the match ended, Zohmingliana Ralte headed a free kick by Lalramchullova but that failed to see the back of the net and flew over the bar instead.

Aizawl FC maintain their enviable unbeaten record at their home in the ongoing season. Though Bengaluru FC halted their four matches winning streak at their home, the highlanders would be happy with the solitary point earned from today’s tie.

Aizawl FC keeper was declared the Hero of the Match for his splendid blocks.

Aizawl FC still are third in the table with 17 points from 9 matches with Kingfisher East Bengal and Mohun Bagan above them. Bengaluru FC remain stranded at the fifth spot with 12 points playing one match less.

Khalid Jamil, Aizawl FC coach commented on the match, “We deserved full points judging from the way my boys played.”

Bengaluru FC coach Alberto Roca also opined, “We should’ve got the three points. We can still be champions this season.”

Bengaluru FC will be heading to Mumbai for their next match while Aizawl FC will start preparations to take on Kingfisher East Bengal on February 20, 2017. 

Bengaluru face Aizawl FC tomorow

Bengaluru FC Media 

Albert Roca believes that a tough fixture away from home against a team in form could be just what Bengaluru FC need to fix a wobble as the Blues take on Aizawl FC at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, in Aizawl, on Wednesday.

A combination of injuries, suspensions and moments of poor luck has stretched the Blues’ winless streak to four games in the League. But the Spanish coach was confident that his side are close to turning a corner if the chances being created in attack are anything to go by. 

“We’ve been playing some good football and it’s only a matter of putting to bed the chances we are creating. Against Minerva, we were plain unlucky. But that’s football. We’ve picked ourselves up and are focused on the challenge that Aizawl will throw at us. They are a team that’s high on confidence and are playing at home which means everything is against us. It’s going to be a test of our character and I’m sure the boys will be up to it.”

Having played a game more than Bengaluru, Khalid Jamil-coached Aizawl are third on the table with 16 points and have turned up with some impressive performances this season. Their biggest win came last weekend when Aizawl clawed back from a goal down to beat Churchill Brothers 3-1 at home.

Bengaluru, meanwhile, come off the back of a frustrating 1-1 stalemate at home against Minerva Punjab FC, where a late own goal canceled skipper Sunil Chhetri’s opener, his fourth goal in as many games. The Blues will be without foreign centre backs John Johnson and Juan Gonzalez, who are still serving suspensions, and the coach expects expects a tough clash on Wednesday.

“Aizawl are doing well and it is important to be cautious in our approach as we know that we cannot afford to slip up again. We cannot take them lightly or be complacent and have to put our chances away if we are to take anything away from this game,” he said.

The game kicks off at 2 pm and will be streamed live on i-league.org.

Bengaluru FC bow out of Hero Federation Cup

AIFF Media 
Bengaluru FC Media 

Relegated from Hero I-League, Aizawl FC, gave a reality check to the I-League Champion Bengaluru FC by defeating 3-2 at their fortress at Sree Kanteerava Stadium today, hereby ending Bengaluru’s Hero Federation Cup mission. Aizawl FC with an aggregate score of 5-3 moves to the Semi-final spot. 

A late kick-off ensured low turnout today, the crowd was nowhere close to the horde that turned up during the Aizawl FC’s Hero I-League away match against Bengaluru in late February. The overcast conditions ensured a pleasant weather to watch the match.  

Bengaluru showed confidence in fielding young mid-fielder Nishu Kumar again for today’s match. 

Nothing noticeable happened in the first quarter of the game other than exchanging few shots on both ends with one noticeable in the 15th minute - a good long ranger by Aizawl striker Joel Sunday, however Amrinder Singh was in the right position to collect the ball. Aizawl FC forced their first corner in the 25th minute of the game. 

Much to the surprise of the spectators, visitors took lead in the 26th minute of the game. An important away goal via Joel Sunday. The Nigerian, also the scorer of the 90th minute winning goal in their match at home took a pass from his striking partner Alfred Jayran, dribbled Nishu Kumar and blasts the ball to the goal. 

Bengaluru got an opportunity to equalize within a minute, but Kim Song’s shot failed to aim at the goal, the Korean was only few yards away from the keeper. 

The anguish of a missed opportunity barely lasted for a minute. CK Vineeth equalized for the host from a Keegan Perreira pass in middle of the box, a nice turn, and then he places the ball to the back of the net. 

It was the delightful combination of Sunday and Alfred, then Sunday’s scorcher gave the lead to the Mizoram team again, and probably taking Aizawl closer to the Semi-final spot. Jewel in the 38th minute. 

Luck seemed to stay away for the Blues even after changing ends. Central defender Curtis Osano quite innocuously brought down the Sunday at the top of the penalty box, referee Ramaswamy Srikrishna awarded a free kick from the dangerous position. An extremely neat chip from the captain David Lalrinmuana left Amrinder Singh stranded at the goal. 

That was that for Bengaluru as coming back with a 2-goal deficit looked impossible. They reduced the margin in the 74th minute from a penalty. Udanta Singh was brought down by an AFC defender and Chhetri making no mistake in placing the ball to the back of the net. 

Aizawl custodian, Soram Poirei Angamba, doing a tremendous job under the bar keep his opponents at bay. Also, the opponent of the Manupuri happens to be his former club, Poirei was in the Bengaluru’s roster for two seasons. 

Scoring a brace, Joel Sunday was adjudged the Hero of the Match.  

Confident Bengaluru face a tough Aizwal task

AIFF Media

Bengaluru FC Media 

In a literal do or die situation to stay afloat in the Hero Federation Cup, Bengaluru FC host Aizwal FC tomorrow at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. The team from Mizoram stunned the newly-crowned Hero I-League Champions in their home match on last Saturday.

 

Aizwal FC’s existence thus far in the National scene might be for a short period of time, but Jahar Das’ boys are here to prove their mettle.  

Defeating teams from North-East at their home is proving thorn in flesh in the on-going Hero Federation Cup. Bengaluru FC and Kingfisher East Bengal, both high-ranked teams bite the dust against Aizwal FC and Shillong Lajong FC respectively. It is up to Ashley Westwood’s boys to make a comeback and get through to the next stage. 

With the away goal rule deployed in the Hero Federation Cup, it is advantage Bengaluru as they have managed to score one against Aizwal. So a 1-0 score is good enough for the Steelmen to qualify for the next round. 

Aizwal FC coach, Jahar Das, having years of experience working in Youth Development appeared realistic. 

Das said, “It is not ours, rather their advantage as they will be playing at home ground and a team like Bengaluru FC are unlikely to go out in the first round. Although they will be under pressure, they are a good team - I-League champion, but sometimes, results may go against your expectation.”

Das’ home game win two days back worked as per plan, he added “I told my boys, if we can manage to hold them for first 30 minutes, probably we can do something in the game, also, they were tad tired, which helped us.”

“Tomorrows match will be an equal fight” observes coach, “Both teams have pluses and minuses, but for us, we want to give the best performance.” 

Bengaluru gaffer seemed confident, after all his team has the reputation of coming back strongly at home. “We are at home and we got good records. Lads played very well for the first 30 minutes of the game, should have taken a 4-0 lead to be honest, but then fatigue kicked in, and we lost concentration”, said Ashley Westwood.

The journey to Aizwal has been long, will that play a major role tomorrow’s game? Gaffer’s quick response, “It is an 11 hours journey - end to end, which takes a toll on the players. But then the same is applicable for our opponents.” 

Westwood might look for few changes or re-load the same lineup, as he feels there wasn’t much wrong in the last game. 

“I am sure we will create more chances tomorrow and hopefully score a few,” signs-off the gaffer. 

Tomorrow’s game will start at 9 pm. 

Aizwal stun Champion Bengaluru FC

AIFF Media 

Bengaluru FC Media 

Aizawl FC defeated Hero I-League Champions Bengaluru FC 2-1 in the first match of their maiden Hero Federation Cup campaign at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Aizwal, Mizoram today (April 30, 2016)

Joel Sunday’s 90^th minute goal proved to be the difference between the two sides after Alfred Kemah had cancelled out Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s 15^th minute goal, in the 38^th minute as both Team went into the tunnel on level pegging at half-time.  

With Aizwal FC notching up a win, the onus lies on Bengaluru FC to perform in the second leg of the fixture which is slated to kick-off on May 03, 2016.

Speaking at the Official Post Match Press Conference, Bengaluru FC’s Head Coach Ashley Westwood asserted that his side can foster a comeback in the reverse fixture, "We had several chances, and could have led by 4 goals. There is a cent percent chance that we will have a comeback and get through this round."

Meanwhile, Aizawl FC’s Head Coach Jahar Das was all smiles after upsetting the ‘Champions of India’. "We deserved this win as we played a good game. We are looking forward to the second leg and will play to the best of our abilities”

In the opening minutes of the match, it was Bengaluru FC, who nearly took the lead with some fluent attacking Football. Sunil Chhetri’s threatening corner resulted in a coming together of bodies in the Aizwal FC penalty box, but the Aizwal defence stood strong and made a goal line clearance to deny Bengaluru FC an early lead.  

In the 10^th minute, Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s brilliant free-kick was met with John Johnson’s thumping header and earned an acrobatic save by Poirei. The resulting corner saw the Bengaluru FC duo team up again and Lyngdoh’s delivery made contact with Johnson’s right boot, rattling the Aizwal FC woodwork.

Aizawl had their first proper shot minutes later when Yuta shot from 30 yards away, but the ball went over the bar. 

In the 15th minute of the match, Eugeneson Lyngdoh's shot from distance ended up in the back of the Aizawl FC net, leaving the Aizawl FC custodian wrong-footed, as Bengaluru FC took a solitary goal lead. 

Minutes later, Lalchhawnkima found a chance to score an equalizer for his team through a set piece but the away keeper Amrinder blocked the ball with great ease. 

Joel Sunday, assisted by Yuta, too made an attacking shot but the shot went over and did not challenge Amrinder. Moments later, Brandon’s curling shot went shy of the goal after he dribbled his way into the box.

Joel Sunday showed off some exquisite skills with the ball when he made his way towards the away box tricking past three Bengaluru defenders, but he failed to make an excellent finish as his shot went wide.

The attacking moves made by Aizawl FC eventually bore fruit when Alfred's shot found its mark in the 38th minute changing the scoreline to 1-1. Alfred's left foot shot assisted by Lalchhawnkima made its way into the net at the bottom corner rendering Amrinder helpless. 

Aizawl FC continued to attack and missed more chances just minutes before the first half ended with a 1-1 scoreline. 

Aizawl FC continued their momentum in the second half and the Reds fostered a goal scoring opportunity in the 48^th minute when Brandon’s cross found Albert clear of the defensive mix inside the box. The latter failed to make the most out of it as another chance went abegging.

In the 57^th minute, Udanta Singh’s rocket-of-a-shot from distance, was met with a strong fist by Poirei as Bengaluru FC continued their search for another goal.

Nine minutes later, Aizwal FC were awarded with a golden opportunity to take the lead but Alfred failed to tap the ball in, after successfully beating Amrinder Singh in a one versus one situation.

Substitute Daniel Lalhlimpuia showed his prowess on the pitch when he drove the ball into the box and prepared himself for a shot but was tackled by Emma denying him his chance. 

Not to be deterred, Aizwal FC continued their search for the winning goal and in the 90^th minute, Joel Sunday lit up the fa ces of fans in the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium as he blasted his opportunity home to make the scoreline read 2-1 in Aizwal’s favour.

The home Team held onto their solitary goal lead despite the away Team initiating raids in the remaining time and at the end of ninety minutes, the scoreline read 2-1 in Aizwal FC’s favour. 

Aizawl take on Bengaluru in first match of Hero Federation Cup 2016

AIFF Media 

Newly crowned Hero I-League Champions Bengaluru FC will clash swords against Aizawl FC in the first match of the Hero Federation Cup 2016 at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Aizawl, Mizoram on April 30, 2016. The kick-off for which is at 3PM IST. 

The top eight teams of Hero I-league will be contending in the Hero Federation Cup which will see a total of 13 games. All the matches, except the Final are to be played on a two legged (home and away) knockout basis. While the Final will be played on a neutral ground. Bengaluru FC are the current holders of the Federation Cup having beaten Dempo 2-1 in the 2015 Final which was played at Margao, Goa.  

In the Official Pre-Match Press Conference held today at Aizawl, both sides expressed their desires and intentions to win in the match tomorrow. Bengaluru FC coach Ashley Westwood said, "We have been fairly consistent this season and we hope to carry it into the Hero Federation Cup. We could not train as much as we would like to today after our long journey yesterday but we will play to win tomorrow." 

Commenting on Aizawl FC, Westwood stated "Aizawl are a good team, it was sad to see to see them go out. They were a fresh team that showed excitement and did not deserve to be relegated."

Seminlen Doungel, the Manipuri striker, emphasized on the desire of his team to win and said, "I am very excited about our match with Aizawl tomorrow, we will try our best to win." He also admitted that  knock-out matches could be more difficult than league matches. 

Aizawl FC coach Jahar Das stated that his side could create an upset come tomorrow. "We were not the last team in the Hero I-League, and we were able to beat Mohun Bagan who were at the top, we can win tomorrow.We have an advantage over them as they are a little tired, it will be difficult for them to hold us tomorrow." 

"It was a difficult time for us when we heard that we have relegated. But now, we have to opportunity to play against the champions. They are the best team as of now and have been playing other tournaments like the AFC so that might work to our advantage", informed Aizwal FC's midfielder Albert Zohmingmawia.

In their two Hero I-League matches against each other, Aizawl FC suffered two defeats conceding one goal in each match without scoring against Bengaluru FC, however a new day beckons tomorrow and who knows, maybe Aizawl FC can create an upset by defeating 'Champions of India' Bengaluru FC.   

Hero Federation Cup kicks-off this Saturday with Aizawl vs Bengaluru match

AIFF Media 

The Hero Federation Cup will kick-off on April 30, 2016 with Aizawl FC taking on Hero Federation Cup Champions Bengaluru FC. 

The top eight teams as per the standings of the Hero I-League will be playing in the knock-out format on a Home and Away basis including the semifinals with the Final match being slated to be played at a neutral venue.

As per the regulations of the Tournament, the lower ranked Teams (as per the standings of the Hero I-League) are to play their Home match first.

Round One is scheduled to be played on April 30, May 1 and May 2; while Round 2 will be played on May 3, 4 and 5, 2016.

The first round of the semifinals is to be played on May 7 and May 8 with the return legs slated for May 14 and 15.

The Final will be played on May 21.

The schedule of the Tournament is as follows:

Round 1

• Match No 1: Aizawl FC vs Bengaluru FC (April 30)
• Match No 2: Salgaocar SC vs Mohun Bagan (May 2)
• Match No 3: Shillong Lajong FC vs Kingfisher East Bengal (May 1)
• Match No 4: Mumbai FC vs Sporting Clube de Goa (May 1) 

Round 2

• Match 5: Bengaluru FC vs Aizawl FC (May 3)
• Match 6: Mohun Bagan vs Salgaocar FC (May 5)
• Match 7: Kingfisher East Bengal vs Shillong Lajong FC (May 4)
• Match 8: Sporting Clube de Goa vs Mumbai FC (May 4)

SEMIFINAL - Round 1

• Match No 9: Winners of Match 1 & 5 vs Winners of Match 4 & 8
• Match No. 10: Winners of Match 2 & 6 vs Winners of Match 3 & 7

SEMIFINAL (Round 2)

• Match No 11: Winners of Match 4 & 8 vs Winners of Match 1 & 5.
• Match No 12: Winners of Match 3 & 7 vs Winners of Match 2 & 6.

GRAND FINALE: May 21, 2016.

Osano on target as Bengaluru win two in as many away games

 - AIFF Media
 - Bengaluru FC Media


The lethal header by Curtis Osano in 26th minute ensured Bengaluru FC leaving Aizawl with full three points. With this narrow win over the debutants Aizawl FC, the 2013-14 champions earned their second successive away win in as many outings in the Hero I-League 2015-16.

The eagerly awaited match between Aizawl FC and Bengaluru FC kicked off at 1 pm at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium ahead of a cheering crowd. It was one of the historic day in Mizoram football history as they hosted their first ever Hero I-League match.

Ashley Westwood made just one change to the starting XI that beat Salgaocar the week before, bringing in Udanta Singh for Malsawmzuala. And the nippy winger did enough to show what he’s capable of bringing to the table. Darting off on runs that the Aizawl defence had a tough time dealing with, Udanta earned the Blues a free-kick in the 26th minute – one that led to Bengaluru’s opener.

With Eugeneson Lyngdoh standing over the ball, a quick change in decision saw Keegan Pereira swing in the take instead when Osano capitalized on a fumble by former Blues ’keeper Soram Poirei, to stab home in the muddle and give Bengaluru a much needed lead.

In an opening exchange where neither of the sides managed to stitch anything meaningful and the football was everything but pleasing to the eye, local boy Lalthuammawia Ralte pulled off the save of the game when he flung himself and got his fingertips to a dangerous shot from David Lalrinmuana that was heading for goal.

The Blues needed a little bit of luck when, in the 33rd minute, an Aizawl attack ended up bouncing off the post and to safety as Bengaluru tried to wrest control of the game.

Westwood tweaked the formation a bit and introduced another local boy in Malsawmzuala who came on for Udanta at the start of the second half, in a bid to seize more control and enjoy the kind of possession that the Blues are otherwise used to. 

With 10 minutes left to play for, CK Vineeth had the best chance to close the game after being set up by Kim’s header only to inexplicably shoot wide from five yards out. Aizawl were keen to make the lifeline count and battled hard for a point but a gritty and composed show from Westwood’s boys denied the home side the fairytale ending they were chasing from the start.

Bengaluru next play at home at the Kanteerava Stadium when they take on Shillong Lajong on January 24.