Bengaluru FC lift BDFA Super Division League 2023-24

The young turks of Bengaluru FC lifted the 2023-24 edition of BDFA Super Division League by remaining unbeaten in the entire league. Previous year winner Sporting Club Bengaluru had to content with the second spot this time. 

The record 19-team league ended yesterday at the Bangalore Football Stadium while the prize distribution ceremony happened today noon at the same venue. 

The Bengaluru boys completed the won the league with two round to spare. They had an epic run in the league with 16 win and 2 draw. 

After eneding league engagement with least number of points, Young Challengers FC, Bangalore Dream United FC, and FC Deccan are relegated to BDFA A Division. FC Deccan must feel unlucky as they were tied at same points with Rebel FC with a better goal difference, however the latter came out of relegation scare with a head-to-head 3-2 win at the penultimate match of the Super Division League. 

• George Hoover Cup (Winner) - Bengaluru FC 
• CMH Basha Cup (Runner up) - Sporting Club Bengaluru 
• Fair Play Award - HAL 
• Top Scorers - Shlok Tiwari (17 Goals - Kodagu FC) 

 

Kickstart rally from two goals down in thrilling 2-2 draw

KSFA Media  

Kickstart FC pulled off another miracle as they came back again from 0-2 down to hold Chennaiyin FC to a 2-2 draw and shoot to the top of group D on the Safford Challenge Cup football tournament at the KSFA Stadium here on Sunday morning. Earlier, Sreenidhi Deccan FC defeated Kenkre FC 2-0 in group C.

In the later part of the day, Delhi FC came back from a goal down to register 2-1 win over Bengaluru FC. With back-to-back win, they seem to be a solid contender for the semi-final spot from Group C. In the final game of the day, ARA FC bouncing back from a defeat in their previous game thrashed Kerala United 5-0. 

A very compact and solid Chennaiyin FC took control of the match early on and even forged ahead in the very 16th  minute of the match.  After a one-two with Solaimalai, Givson Singh lobbed the ball into the box and skipper Senthamil dived forward to head it into the goal past goalkeeper Deepak. 

In trying to curb their attacking intent, Kickstart gave away a freekick to Chennaiyin just outside the box on the left flank. Givson Singh took the award and produced a low curling right footer which settled into the net beyond Deepak’s reach.

But Kickstart came back with some efforts of their own to no avail. In the second half, they changed their combinations and it paid rich dividends. Substitute Muzamiri was a thorn in the Chennai team’s defence and repeatedly broke through. He tacked goalkeeper Devansh Dabas once but failed to fill an untenanted net. However, he provided a fine through pass form Edwin Rosario to slot home a low left footer into the net. Once they had reduced the margin, it was Kickstart all over the opponent defence. In trying to check Muzamiri, stopper Buiswas Yumnan sent the ball rocketing into his own net for an own goal in the 82nd minute.

Both came close to snatching the winner but the defences held firm as they trooped out with a point each. Kickstart top the group with four points with a win and a draw.

Sreenidhi Deccan FC were the dominant lot all along and scored once in each half to emerge winners.

It was Mungong who scored the first goal in the 21st minute pushing home from close following a goalmouth melee. They played relaxed football and made it 2-0 in the 61st as Velmurugan took off on the right and slotted home past custodian Lovepreet Singh. Sreenidhi Deccan also topped group C with four points from one win and a draw while Kenkre have lost both games so far.

Bengaluru FC Colts claim big win over Dream United

Bengaluru FC Media 

Monirul Molla found himself in the thick of things again as Bengaluru FC hit five past Bangalore Dream United FC in their penultimate encounter of the BDFA Super Division League, in Bengaluru, on Thursday. Molla’s strikes, one in each half, were added to by goals from Ankith Padmanabhan (40’), Rajanbir Singh (64’) and Satish Singh (57’ OG). 

Bengaluru began the stronger of the two sides and took the lead just eight minutes in when Molla slipped through the BDU backline to be found by an inch-perfect Shighil NS pass. Molla made no mistake, pushing the ball past the ’keeper and slotting home. Bengaluru’s second goal came in the aftermath of a set-piece when Ankith found himself in space to find the net from close range.

Into the second period, Bengaluru continued to push the needle, scoring just 12 minutes in. A cross into a dangerous area was turned into his own net by Satish, whose attempted clearance was bundled over to give Bengaluru a 3-0 lead.

Bengaluru’s fourth came from a well-worked routine that saw Edwin Rossario clip a cross into the box from the left wing, allowing Moni to flick it on and for Rajanbir to tap home from close range. Into the final ten minutes, Molla would grab another, combining with Akashdeep Singh in the final third, before placing his shot past the United ’keeper.

The Blue Colts next face Kickstart FC in their final encounter of the 2022-23 BDFA Super Division League.

 

Bengaluru fail to break the deadlock as they play out a goalless draw against Roots

BFC Media

Bengaluru FC played out a 0-0 draw against Roots FC, in a BDFA Super Division League encounter, at the Bangalore Football Stadium, on Tuesday. Roots FC’s resolute backline marshaled by goalkeeper Arun H, kept the Blue Colts at bay, and saved a point for the hosts. 

The first half saw both sides battle for possession early on with the Blue Colts eventually finding the right rhythm. The first chance of the game fell to BFC midfielder Kamalesh P in the 28th minute, who rounded the ’keeper and slotted the ball into an empty goal, but referee Suresh Devraj, upon consultation with his assistant, ruled the goal out for a foul in the build-up.

Close to the end of the first half, Bekey Oram put in a low cross into the 18-yard-box, but Monirul Molla and Ankith Padmanabhan failed to capitalise as the ball deflected off Roots midfielder Gautam Rajesh, before being cleared away. 

Into the second period, the Blue Colts put the pressure on the RFC backline and kept the ball in the opposition's half. The biggest chance of the game came in the 68th minute when Ankith found Molla unmarked in the box, but the striker’s effort from distance went wide of the frame. 

The rub of the green failed to favour Bengaluru when another chance went begging in the closing stages. Felixson’s cross into a crowded penalty area found substitute Vinith Venkatesh unmarked. But Venkatesh, having struck the ball with his first touch, saw his effort come crashing back into play off the crossbar. Ankith managed to get another shot away on the rebound, but it was easy pickings for Arun. 

The Blue Colts kept pushing for the opener, but the Roots backline remained stubborn and saw the game out. BFC now sit in 4th place with 16 points on the board. Bengaluru next face ADE FC on October 14th, at the same venue.

 

Bengaluru FC are Durand Cup champions

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC added yet another piece of silverware to an already impressive collection when they were crowned champions of the historic Durand Cup, beating Mumbai City FC 2-1, at the Salt Lake Stadium, in Kolkata, on Sunday. Sivasakthi Narayanan (11’) opened the scoring for Bengaluru early with a delightful take, before Apuia Ralte’s (30’) tap-in from close saw Mumbai draw level. But Alan Costa’s (61’) thumping header from a corner was enough to see Simon Grayson begin his reign as Bengaluru manager with a title. 

Grayson made two changes to the side that took on Hyderabad FC in the semifinal as Sivasakthi replaced Rohit Kumar, while Alan Costa started ahead of Parag Shrivas at the back. Des Buckingham recalled the services of Apuia, while Greg Stewart and Lallianzuala Chhangte continued in attack.

Bengaluru started the stronger of the two outfits, and scored with what was their first chance of the game. Aleksandar Jovanovic, spotting Sivasakthi with a chance to run at the Islanders backline, lifted a punt over the top that Mourtada Fall missed. Sensing the opportunity, Sivasakthi continued his run and nudged the Senegalese defender out of the way, before lobbing a mature finish over Phurba Lachenpa to put his side in the lead.

Grayson’s side attacked with intent down both flanks as Naorem Roshan Singh and Prabir Das stretched play at every opportunity. Ahmed Jahouh had Mumbai’s first chance, with his effort from distance flying off target, before Buckhingham’s side found the equalizer through Apuia on the half hour mark.  

Stewart’s quick free-kick allowed Mumbai a shot on target that Gurpreet Singh Sandhu managed to parry. However, Apuia was alert to the danger and managed to slot home on the rebound past Sandesh Jhingan’s attempted last-ditch challenge.

Only eight minutes later, Sivasakthi almost reclaimed the lead for Bengaluru after Alan Costa’s header from a corner fell to Roy Krishna. The Fiji International’s shot found its way to Sivasakthi, who attempted a flicked finish, but Jahouh hooked away off the line to keep things level. 

Into the second period, Bengaluru had the first chance when Sivasakthi forced Lachenpa into a wayward pass that Chhetri intercepted before feeding Krishna in space. Krishna’s attempt from distance seemed to be heading toward goal, but for Mumbai defender Royston Griffiths, who nodded over.

The Blues continued to push forward in search of the lead and almost found it when Jayesh Rane’s deft chip found Chhetri unmarked in the box. The skipper took a touch and composed himself, but his shot was met by a fine save from Lachenpa. From the resulting corner, however, Bengaluru would retake their lead.

Chhetri’s delivery, floated in with pace, was met by a thumping header from Brazilian defender Costa, which flew past Lachenpa and gave Grayson’s side the lead once again. Costa would be replaced soon after, as Grayson rang a first change of the evening, introducing Parag Shrivas.

Into the final quarter, the hosts rang in two changes as Fall and Vinit Rai were replaced by Alberto Noguera and Mehtab Singh. Bengaluru had a chance to put the game to bed in the 87th minute when Chhetri was found in the box by Sivasakthi, but the skipper, who managed to skip past two defenders, saw his effort fly over the bar.

Into added time, Mumbai almost drew level through Stewart, who managed to get a shot away but it rolled off target. The Blues return to Indian Super League action next, where they begin with a clash against NorthEast United at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, in Bengaluru, on October 8th.

Bengaluru enter maiden Durand Cup final with 1-0 win over Hyderabad

Bengaluru FC Media 

A resolute, gritty performance aided by an own-goal from Hyderabad FC’s Odei Onaindia (30’) sent Bengaluru FC through to their first-ever Durand Cup final with a 1-0 win, at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan, in Kolkata, on Thursday. Simon Grayson’s Blues will now face Mumbai City FC in the summit clash, set to take place at the same venue, on Sunday, September 18th.

Earlier, Grayson made one change to the Blues’ side that beat Odisha FC, as Jayesh Rane replaced Javi Hernandez. Manolo Marquez started with Joel Chianese in attack, with Nigerian striker Bartholomew Ogbeche playing behind him.

Hyderabad had the first chance of the game when Ogbeche found a pocket of space and got a shot away in the 8th minute, but Blues’ ’keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was equal to it. Moments later at the other end, Roy Krishna had a shot of his own that Anuj Kumar parried away to safety.

Bengaluru opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Jayesh Rane drove forward in possession and found Prabir Das down the flank. The Blues’ full-back’s inch-perfect cross was met by Krishna, and then deflected into the back of the net by Hyderabad defender Onaindia.

Bengaluru took the lead into the break and Grayson rang in a change at the start of the second half as Namygal Bhutia replaced Rohit Kumar. Gurpreet was called into action soon after the restart when Ogbeche nodded a header on target but the Blues’ custodian pulled a save to keep his side in the lead. 

The Blues made more changes just shy of the hour mark, as Danish Farooq and Udanta Singh replaced Rane and Naorem Roshan Singh. Bengaluru continued to push forward in attack but came up against a stubborn Hyderabad side. Marquez made changes of his own as Nim Dorjee Tamang and Borja Herrera came off to replace Mohammed Yasir and Onaindia.

Bengaluru were forced into a fourth change of the evening when Prabir was stretchered away, prompting Grayson to turn to Leon Augustine with just over ten minutes left to play. Herrera set up the visitors’ best chance of the second period when his lay-off found Ogbeche arriving and unmarked in the box, but the Nigerian’s shot in the 77th minute was off target. 

Hyderabad made several forays into the final third and had their best chances from set-pieces but were denied by stubborn defending as Bengaluru’s trio of Sandesh Jhingan, Aleksandar Jovanovic and Parag Shrivas made their aerial prowess count to see out the win.

 

Bengaluru cruise past FC Agniputhra

Bengaluru FC Media 

Jan van Loon’s Blue Colts picked up a 3-0 victory to get back to winning ways, against FC Agniputhra in the BDFA Super Division League, at the Bangalore Football Stadium, on Monday. Kamalesh (20’) and Shighil’s (34’) first half strikes ensured a two-goal cushion at the break, followed by Monirul Molla’s (80’) late strike that sealed the points. 

A physical battle ensued in the first period as both sides looked to get a foothold on the game. Bengaluru kept the pressure on the opponents and finally broke the deadlock at the 20 minute mark, with Kamalesh dropping his shoulder and skipping past his man before launching a shot into the roof of the net. 

Ten minutes later, the Blue Colts doubled their lead through Shighil. The midfielder picked up the ball on the edge of the 18-yard-box and saw his low-driven shot go through several defenders and into the bottom corner.

Into the second half, BFC had several chances through winger Thoi Singh and striker Sudeer Kotikala, but luck didn’t favour the Blue Colts. Van Loon brought on Molla and Ankith Padmanabhan to bolster the attack and his substitutes made an instant impact.

Thoi’s shot on goal with ten minutes left to play was parried by Agniputhra ‘keeper Badusha only for Molla to pick up the ball and pass it into an empty net to ensure a 3-0 victory.

The Blue Colts next face Jawahar Union FC, on 16th September, at the same venue. 

 

Bengaluru face Odisha challenge in Durand Cup quarterfinal

Bengaluru FC Media

Bengaluru FC Head Coach Simon Grayson said his side are eager to put on a good show when they face Odisha FC in the quarterfinal of the 2022 Durand Cup, at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan, on Saturday. The Blues, who finished the group stages in second place with two wins and two draws, are up against an Odisha side that ended atop Group D with four wins in as many games.

 

“Over the course of the group stage, we went up against different teams. Every game we’ve played has been a step up for us, and Saturday’s game against Odisha will be another step in that process. We’ve tried to win all these games, but the bigger picture has been the preparation for the League season that starts in a month’s time,” said Grayson, speaking to the media on the eve of the game.

 

Bengaluru began their campaign in Kolkata with a 2-1 win over Jamshedpur, before a convincing 4-0 win over Indian Air Force FT. Draws against FC Goa (2-2) and Mohammedan SC (1-1) saw them finish with eight points in Group A, two behind the Kolkata side.

 

“The games in the group stage gave us the opportunity to try two or three new systems. We’re happy with the squad that we’ve got in terms of experienced young players and also players trying to break into the first team. We want to be cohesive, be fit and the aim is to try and get my methods across to them. Our objective since the time we’ve landed in Kolkata has been to win this competition,” said Grayson.

 

Odisha have made a host of summer signings, with Michael Soosairaj, Narender Gahlot, Raynier Fernandes (loan from Mumbai City FC) and Lalthuammawia Ralte among the Indian arrivals. Josep Gombau’s side have six new foreign personnel, having re-acquired the services of Carlos Delgado and Diego Mauricio, alongside Victor Rodrigues, Osama Malik, Pedro Martin and Saul Crespo.

 

“Odisha have done very well to win the four games so far. They’re a team that have a few new faces in their squad, but we’ve got to focus on ourselves. While this is a step up in our preparations for the start of the season, I also believe this will be a step up for Odisha in terms of the opposition they’ve faced. We know their strengths and weaknesses and we have to try and make sure that they don’t cause us too much trouble in and out of possession,” added Grayson.

 

Striker Sunil Chhetri and Sivasakthi Narayanan lead the scoring charts for the Blues with three goals apiece, while Jerry Mawihmingthanga and Crespo have three each for Odisha heading into Saturday’s encounter.

 

Kick-off at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan is scheduled for 6 pm, and will be telecast live on the Sports18 Network, with live streaming available on VOOT Select and JioTV. 

Bengaluru FC enter Durand Cup knockouts with 2-2 draw against FC Goa

Bengaluru FC Media

Sunil Chhetri and Sivasakthi Narayanan were on target for Bengaluru FC in a 2-2 draw against FC Goa, in a Group A encounter of the 2022 Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan, in Kolkata, on Tuesday. The Blues, who took a two-goal lead into the break, came up against a resilient Goa side in the second period, who drew level through strikes from Phrangki Buam and Lesly Rebello.

Earlier, Blues’ Head Coach Simon Grayson handed starts to goalkeeper Amrit Gope and Prince Ibara as summer signing Javi Hernandez joined Jayesh Rane on the bench. Bengaluru had won their opening two matches of the tournament against Jamshedpur FC (2-1) and Indian Air Force FT (4-0), and needed just a point to attain an unassailable lead in the group.

 

Bengaluru started strong and controlled proceedings for much of the opening minutes before Ibara pulled up with an injury, forcing Grayson into making an early change, replacing the Congolese international with Narayanan.

The Blues opened the scoring through skipper Chhetri, who dispatched an inch-perfect free-kick past Goa custodian Hrithik Tiwari in the 24th minute to make it 1-0. Only moments later, Sivasakthi doubled the Bengaluru lead, tapping home a knock-down from Udanta Singh after Bruno Ramires had found the winger in the box with a ball over the Goa defense.

 

Bengaluru took the 2-0 lead into the break and came out with one more change in personnel as Jayesh Rane marked his return from injury, replacing Ramires. Grayson’s side had several chances to add to their lead within minutes of the restart, but efforts from Parag Shrivas, Danish Farooq and Sivasakthi were dealt with by the visitors.

 

Against the run of play, Goa pulled one back when Rohit Kumar’s stray pass found winger Phrangki, who rounded Gope and slotted home to make it 2-1. Rohit almost made amends at the other end, when he ran onto Sivasakthi’s pass and got a shot away but Tiwari pushed it onto the woodwork with a fantastic save.

 

Goa scored the equalizer just past the hour mark when Amrit failed to deal with a cross from the right, allowing Lesly Rebello to slot home from close range to make it 2-2. Bengaluru made further changes, with Hernandez, Faisal Ali and Leon Augustine making their way onto the pitch.

 

Bengaluru pushed forward in search of a winner, but it wasn’t to be as the visitors held fort to see out the rest of the encounter. The Blues next face Group A leaders Mohammedan SC at the same venue, on August 2nd.

Bengaluru FC rout Young Challengers 8-0 in BDFA Super Division league

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC began their BDFA Super Division Campaign with a comfortable 8-0 victory over  FC, at the Bangalore Football Stadium, on Saturday. A hat-trick from Thoi Singh (42’, 45’, 50’, 78’) and goals from Rajanbir Singh (10’), Clarence Fernandes (21’), Sudheer Kotikala (58’) and Monirul Molla (73’) ensured all the points for Jan Van Loon’s side. 

Bengaluru began the game on the front foot and opened the scoring early. Damaiphang Lyngdoh’s low cross into a crowded 18-yard-box found the feet of Rajanbir, who smashed it into the back of the net from close range to give BFC the lead. Twenty minutes into the game, a well-worked corner routine went in favour of the Blue Colts who capitalised and doubled their lead. Amay Morajkar’s cross found Rajanbir, who tapped it into an empty net to make it two. 

The pace of the game slowed down with both teams keeping the ball in the middle of the park, but Bengaluru switched gears and bagged two more goals in the last five minutes of the first half, courtesy of Thoi. 

Into the second half, it took BFC just five minutes to score another goal as Thoi completed his hat-trick. A sublime through ball from Amay Morajkar from the center of the field, found Thoi who kept his composure and slotted it past SK Sadekuddin to make it five. 

Sudheer got in on the action just eight minutes later with a powerful finish from just outside the 18-yard-box to make it six. Substitute Monirul made a huge impact in the game and scored with a sublime volley before setting up BFC’s eighth goal. Molla’s pass found Thoi, who scored his fourth with an easy tap-in. 

The Blue Colts next face Rebels FC on 31st August, at the same venue.

 

Bengaluru cruise 4-0 winners past Indian Air Force in Durand Cup

Bengaluru FC Media 

Simon Grayson’s Bengaluru FC side ran away 4-0 winners against Indian Air Force FT at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan, in Kolkata, on Tuesday, climbing to joint-top of Group A in the 2022 Durand Cup in the process, level on points with Mohammedan SC. Goals from Roy Krishna and Sunil Chhetri gave the Blues a 2-0 lead heading into the break before substitutes Faisal Ali and Sivasakthi Narayanan added two more in the second period.

 

Grayson made six changes to the side that took on Jamshedpur FC in the opening encounter, handing starts to Sandesh Jhingan, Aleksandar Jovanovic and Krishna. Chhetri and Krishna started in attack for the Blues, who set up in a 3-5-2 formation.

 

Bengaluru started strong, making inroads from the get go and took only nine minutes to break the deadlock. A long diagonal from Jovanovic fell to Krishna, who brushed off his marker and finished past Shibin Raj in the IAF goal. Fifteen minutes later, Chhetri doubled the lead, converting a seemingly harmless cross into the area from the tightest of angles off an IAF defender.

 

IAF’s best chance of the half fell to Mohammed Aqib, but his shot from distance was parried away by Gurpreet. Into the second period, Bengaluru rang in a change as Jhingan was replaced by Udanta Singh. Prabir Das fell into the three-man backline as Udanta took his place.

 

Bengaluru continued to push forward, and made three more changes in quick succession past the hour mark as Faisal, Alan and Parag made their way on to replace Jovanovic, Muirang and Krishna. Only three minutes on from his introduction, Faisal wrote his name into the scoresheet, slotting in from close range after Wangjam had done well to keep the ball in play for Udanta.

 

Into extra-time, Bengaluru had another substitute on the scoresheet with Sivasakthi, who had replaced Chhetri just moments earlier, running onto a pass from Wangjam and slotting past Shibin Raj.

 

Bengaluru face FC Goa next, at the VYBK, on August 30th.

 

Kickstart and Bangalore Eagles to play Puttaiah Memorial final

Bengaluru FC Media 

Kickstart put up a much better show in the knockout stage defeating ASC 2-1 in the first semi-final of Puttaiah Memorial. In the later semi-final, it was heartbreak Bengaluru FC Colts as they bowed with a shootout loss against Bangalore Eagles, at the Bangalore Football Stadium, on Tuesday. it was Goalless at the end of regulation time, Jan van Loon’s side went down 2-4 on penalties.

Bengaluru started on the front foot, creating multiple chances through Damaitphang Lyngdoh, Thoi Singh and Sudheer Kotikala. The Blue Colts came close to finding the opener in the 13th minute when Kotikala was put through on goal by midfielder Bekey Oram, but his shot rolled wide off the post. 

Minutes later, Kamalesh found Thoi Singh in the box, but the winger’s touch was too heavy and his shot was off-target. BFC came close on multiple occasions but couldn’t find the finishing touch against a stubborn Eagles backline. 

Into the second period, the Blue Colts sent on Monirul Molla and Amay Morajkar in place of Kamalesh Palanisamy and Lyngdoh, in an attempt to add more attacking impetus. Close to the hour mark, Lalpekhlua joined the fold. Bengaluru almost scored through an outrageous attempt when Monirul and Sudheer attempted overhead kicks at the same time, but the ball went over the crossbar. 

In the 75th minute, Lalpekhlua ran down the wing and broke into the 18-yard-box before putting in a low cross for Morajkar, who connected well with the ball, but saw his effort go wide. With five minutes left on the clock, Fanai found Lalpekhlua with a defence-splitting pass. The striker took a touch and struck it goalward, but the ’keeper was there to parry it away. 

The referee blew the whistle for full-time with both teams failing to break the deadlock, signaling penalties to decide the winner. Fanai and Amay failed to score from the spot, while the Eagles scored all their attempts, consigning Bengaluru to a semifinal exit. 

The Bangalore Eagles will face Kickstart FC in the final of the Puttaiah Memorial Cup.

Bengaluru begin Durand Cup with win over Jamshedpur FC

Bengaluru FC Media

Goals in either half from Sunil Chhetri (23’) and debutant Roy Krishna (56’) gave Bengaluru FC a 2-1 win over Jamshedpur FC in their opening match of the 2022 Durand Cup, at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan, in Kolkata, on Wednesday. Defender Rishi (62’) pulled one back for the Red Miners in the second half, after Hira Mondal was sent off for a second bookable offense.

 

Earlier, Grayson handed debuts to full-backs Mondal and Prabir Das, in a Blues’ eleven that had a midfield trio of Bruno Ramires, Suresh Wangjam and Danish Farooq. Chhetri started in attack, flanked by Leon Augustine and Udanta Singh.

 

The Blues began on the offense and almost found the net in the opening minute when Leon, who skipped past a challenge, sent a low cross to find Farooq unmarked in the area. However, the midfielder’s first-time attempt was skewed wide of the mark. Moments later, Farooq saw another shot from an Udanta pass saved by Jamshedpur goalkeeper Mohit Singh Dhami before the latter’s effort on the rebound was blocked away.

 

Bengaluru scored the opener in the 23rd minute when Chhetri found himself unmarked in the area to plant an inch-perfect header from a Das corner past Dhami. The hosts had a chance of their own from a set-piece only minutes later but Farooq managed to clear away after a scramble in the Bengaluru box.

Despite several chances from open play, the Blues couldn’t add to their lead as the sides went down the tunnel with the score at 1-0. Into the second period, Grayson rang in two changes as Aussie defender Aleksandar Jovanovic and Krishna came off the bench for their debuts, replacing Ramires and Alan Costa.

Only ten minutes on, Krishna and Chhetri linked up in attack to double the Blues’ lead. Chhetri, running onto a pass from midfield that Krishna had let roll, saw his backheel fall to the Fiji international, who pushed it past the ’keeper and scored without fuss.

The Blues’ two-goal cushion, however, was short lived as Mondal was given his marching orders for a foul on substitute winger Tapan Halder. Vikash Singh’s take from the resulting set-piece was turned home by Rishi to pull one back for Jamshedpur.

Despite the deficit in personnel, Bengaluru continued to push forward for a third goal, as Namgyal Bhutia and Faisal Ali were introduced to the fold, replacing Leon and Chhetri. Krishna, now playing as a lone striker, made all the right moves in attack and proved a handful throughout the closing stages as Grayson’s men claimed three points, sending them to second on the table in Group A, behind Mohammedan Sporting.

Bengaluru next face services side Indian Air Force FT at the same venue, on August 23rd, at 6 pm.

Bengaluru begin Durand Cup campaign with Jamshedpur challenge

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC Head Coach Simon Grayson will take charge of his side for the first time as they take on Jamshedpur FC in their opening encounter of the 2022 Durand Cup, at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan, in Kolkata, on Wednesday. The Blues are making their third appearance at the Durand Cup, having previously bowed out of the tournament at the quarterfinal (2014) and semifinal (2021) stages.

“We’re really excited to take part in a competition that has a rich history and tradition associated with it. This is a part of our pre-season preparation, ahead of the Indian Super League, but we want to give a good account of ourselves. Playing the Durand Cup means our season will take place over a longer period this year, and we will have to make sure that we strike a right balance to maintain the fitness of all our players through the campaign,” said Grayson, ahead of the encounter.

Bengaluru’s squad for the Durand Cup includes new signings Prabir Das, Roy Krishna, Sandesh Jhingan, Javi Hernandez, Aleksandar Jovanovic, Hira Mondal, Amrit Gope and Faisal Ali, who are also part of the group of players that arrived in Kolkata on Sunday.

“We have some exciting new players and a group of really good youngsters who have come through the Academy as well. We want them to play together for as many minutes as possible, so that they can gel well and get to understand each other in a competitive environment,” added Grayson.

Jamshedpur FC, led by Youth Team coach Indranil Chakraborty, are set to field a team comprising youngsters, including India U20 goalkeeper Mohit Singh Dhami, who most recently won the U20 SAFF Championship, in Bhubaneswar.

“We’re aware that Jamshedpur FC and some other teams have registered a development squad for this tournament. We did the same last year and our youngsters did exceptionally well. We want to approach this tournament with our first team as it gives us an opportunity to be ready for what is going to be a tough season,” Grayson added.

Kick-off between the Blues and Jamshedpur FC is scheduled for 2.30 pm and will be telecast on the Sports18 network, with live streaming available on VOOT Select and Jio TV.

 

Bengaluru FC announce 25-man squad for 131st Durand Cup

Bengaluru FC Media

Bengaluru FC, on Monday, announced their 25-man squad for the 131st edition of the Durand Cup, set to begin with a clash against Jamshedpur FC at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan, in Kolkata, on Wednesday. Simon Grayson’s side, having wrapped up a three week preseason camp at the Inspire Institute of Sport in Bellary, landed in the City of Joy on Sunday. 

As many as eight new signings feature in the Blues’ squad for the tournament, with Roy Krishna, Prabir Das, Javi Hernandez, Sandesh Jhingan, Faisal Ali, Hira Mondal, Aleksandar Jovanovic and Amrit Gope making the list. Bengaluru went down on penalties to eventual champions FC Goa with a squad comprising youngsters and no foreigners, in their most recent appearance at the Durand Cup.

Bengaluru have been drawn alongside Jamshepdur FC, FC Goa, Indian Air Force FT and Mohammedan SC in Group A, with the top two teams from each group set to make it through to the knockout rounds.

SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Lara Sharma, Amrit Gope

Defenders: Alan Costa, Namgyal Bhutia, Parag Shrivas, Wungngayam Muirang, Prabir Das, Hira Mondal, Sandesh Jhingan, Aleksandar Jovanovic

Midfielders: Bruno Ramires, Jayesh Rane, Suresh Wangjam, Danish Farooq, Rohit Kumar, Biswa Darjee, Javi Hernandez

Strikers: Sunil Chhetri (C), Prince Ibara, Udanta Singh, Sivasakthi Narayanan, Leon Augustine, Roy Krishna, Faisal Ali 

 

Bengaluru FC sign defender Sandesh Jhingan

Bengaluru FC Media 

Indian Super League side Bengaluru FC, on Sunday, announced the signing of Indian international defender Sandesh Jhingan on a one-year deal, ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. The 29-year-old, who most recently turned out for ATK Mohun Bagan, joined Simon Grayson’s squad for their open training session at the Bangalore Football Stadium, and is no stranger to the club, having turned out for the Blues in a loan spell during their Federation Cup winning 2016-17 season.

“There were a few factors that made the decision to come back to Bengaluru FC easy. I’ve spent a season here before and the amount of love and support I’ve received from the fans even after I’ve left, has been very special. I’ve played at the Kanteerava more than just a few times with the national team and Bengaluru, and the atmosphere has always been electric,” said Jhingan, after completing the formalities on his deal.

The AIFF Men’s Player of the Year for 2020-21, Jhingan started his football journey at the St. Stephen’s Academy before moving to I-League 2nd Division side United Sikkim in 2011. After two seasons in Sikkim, the first of which saw the side promoted to the I-League, Jhingan had a one-year spell at Mumbai FC before signing with ISL side Kerala Blasters in 2014. From the Blasters, Jhingan made three loan spells to I-League clubs; Sporting Clube de Goa (2015), DSK Shivajians (2016) and Bengaluru FC (2017). 

“The club has built a strong team this season and has never been short on ambition. They know how to win trophies. In addition to some quality new signings, players like Chhetri bhai, Gurpreet and Udanta have been here for a while now and we’re looking good as a unit. I’ve received tremendous support from everyone at the club ever since I put pen to paper, and I cannot wait to get started and help us achieve all our targets for the season,” added Jhingan.

Jhingan has been capped at youth and senior level for the Indian National Team, having made his bow for the tricolor with India U23s at the 2014 Asian Games. Since his debut for the senior team, the center-back has made 46 appearances for India, scoring four times in the process. At club level, Jhingan has 107 appearances across seven seasons in the Indian Super League.

Club Director, Parth Jindal said, “We’ve been through a very sure process of strengthening this team with the right kind of signings, and Sandesh Jhingan fits right into our plans. He’s been a Bengaluru player once before, has won a trophy with us and has the kind of mentality, leadership qualities and fight, that this team needs at the moment. 

“We’re also glad that we could turn his signing and unveiling into a little surprise for the fans at the club’s open training session on Sunday, and going by their reaction, we know how much this means to them.” 

In 2021, Jhingan signed a five-year deal with ATK Mohun Bagan, guiding his side to the final of the Indian Super League where they would go down to Mumbai City FC. At the end of his first season, Jhingan signed a deal with Croatian Nogotmetna Liga side HNK Sibenik, making him the first Indian to play professionally in Croatia.

Jhingan represents the latest in a string of new signings by Bengaluru under Head Coach Simon Grayson, with the side having acquired the services of Javi Hernandez, Roy Krishna, Prabir Das, Hira Mondal and Aleksandar Jovanovic among others. 

Speaking on the signing, Grayson said, “We have a squad that possesses experienced leaders, and Sandesh fits right into the role. We’re glad to have him on board, and hope to use his quality and experience to help us through what we’re hoping is a successful season for this football club.” 

Bengaluru FC begin their 2022-23 campaign with a Group A clash against Jamshedpur FC in the 131st Edition of the Durand Cup, on August 17.

 

Bengaluru FC announce squad for Puttaiah Memorial Cup

Bengaluru FC Media 

Newly appointed Blues’ Head of Youth Development Jan van Loon will lead the Bengaluru FC ‘B’ side set to take part in the Puttaiah Memorial Cup, scheduled to take place in two Zones, the club announced on Tuesday. 

Bengaluru FC B will face Kodagu FC in their opening encounter on Thursday, August 11th, with matches scheduled to take place at the Bangalore Football Stadium, in Ashok Nagar.

“The Puttaiah Memorial Cup has always been a special trophy for the club and we look forward to giving our best in order to bring the trophy home. The boys have been training well and I can’t wait to see them showcase what we’ve been working on in the tournament,” said Van Loon, ahead of his side’s opening match.

The squad features new signings Clarence Fernandes, Felixson Fernandes and Ankith P, who also featured in the Premier League NextGen Cup that was held in the UK, late last month. Karnataka’s own Sudheer Kotikala will also feature in Jan van Loon’s side in the Puttaiah Memorial Cup. The Blue Colts’ defender Robin Yadav will captain the Blue Colts for the tournament. 

“We’ve been tracking the progress of the boys in training, and things are looking very positive. They’re working hard as a team and everyone is fighting for a spot in the starting XI. This squad is a mix of young and experienced players, and we’re looking forward to seeing them working together,” said Kaizad Ambapardiwalla, Assistant Coach of Bengaluru FC B.

Following the opener against Kodagu FC, scheduled for 4 pm, the Blue Colts will face Roots FC on August 13th and Kickstart FC on August 15th. 

SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Athul Raj, Dipesh Chauhan, Sharon Padattil

Defenders: Tomthingganba Meitei, Vanlaltleipuia, Oinam Ronex, Ashik Adhikari, Clarence Fernandes, Rajanbir Singh, Felixson Fernandes, Robin Yadav

Midfielders: Bankit Diengdoh, Abu Swalih, F Lalhminngchhuanga, Lalremtluanga Fanai, Bekey Oram, Damaitphang Lyngdoh, Amay Morajkar, Shighil NS, Kamalesh Palanisamy, Edwin Rossario, Ajay Chhetri, Vinith V

Forwards: Ankith Padmanabhan, Lalpekhlua, Basudev CM, Monirul Molla, Akashdeep Singh, Thoi Singh, Sudheer Kotikala

Puttaiah Memorial to kick-off 2022-23 Bangalore football season

Bangalore football season for 2022-23 set to kick-off with Puttaiah Memorial tournament, a league-cum-knockout Cup format played between the Super Division teams. This will be followed by the elite BDFA Super Division League. 

Puttaiah Memorial, which will commence from August 10 will be played between 8 teams at Bangalore Football Stadium. 4 teams are placed in 2 groups, with top 2 teams making to the knock-out stage. 

MEG, ASC, Dream United, and Bangalore Eagles are placed in Zone A and new entrant Roots FC, Kickstart FC, Bengaluru FC, and Kodagu FC are grouped in Zone B. 

Fixture 

• Aug 10, 2022, 2 PM: Bangalore Eagles FC 2 (Britto Carlos-55’, Parikram Borah-76’) Vs Dream United FC 1 (Sachidananda S-75’) 
• Aug 10, 2022, 4 PM: ASC 1 (Wahengbam Niraj Singh - 77) Vs MEG 0
• Aug 11, 2022, 2 PM: Kickstart FC 0 Vs Roots FC 1 (Vishal R-45'+2') 
• Aug 11, 2022, 4 PM: Bengaluru FC 5 (Akashdeep Singh-32', 46', Huidrom Thoi Singh-54', Lalhmingchhuanga-82', Edwin Rossario-86') Vs Kodagu FC 0 
• Aug 12, 2022, 2 PM: MEG 0 Vs Bangalore Eagles FC 0 
• Aug 12, 2022, 4 PM: Dream United 2 (Elvis Nongtdu-70', 76') Vs ASC 3 (Wahengbam Raj Singh--21', 88', Jashandeep Singh-90'+4') 
• Aug 13, 2022, 2 PM: Kodagu FC 1 (Gagandeep Singh-65'[P]) Vs Kickstart FC 3 (Sharath Rajkumar-7', 37', Abhishek Shanker Powar-13') 
• Aug 13, 2022, 4 PM: Bengaluru FC 1 (F.LalRemtluanga-87') Vs Roots FC 0 
• Aug 14, 2022, 2 PM: MEG 1 (Shaik Muzeeb-17'[P]) Vs Dream United 1 (Palzor Bhaitia-40') 
• Aug 14, 2022, 4 PM: ASC 3 (Laishram Premkumar Singh-40', Tony Huidrom-45'+1', Melem Tomthin Metei-66') Vs Bangalore Eagles FC 1 (Immanuel Derricks-70' [P])
• Aug 15, 2022, 2 PM: Roots FC 1 (Anirudh Mukundan-48') Vs Kodagu FC 0 
• Aug 15, 2022, 4 PM: Kickstart FC 1 (Shrath Raj Kumar-25') Vs Bengaluru FC 0  
• Aug 17, 2022, 1:30 PM, Semi final I: ASC 1 (Waheng Bamni Raj Singh-88') Vs Kickstart FC 2 (Deepak Panth-47'[OG], Abhishek S-53') 
• Aug 17, 2022, 3:30 PM, Semi final II: Bengaluru FC 0 [2] (Clarence Savio Fernandes, Bekay Oram) Vs Bangalore Eagles FC 0 [4] (Immanuel Derricks, Parikram Borah, Bhanu Praksh G, Nithul Das)  
• Aug 19, 2022, 4 PM, Final: Kickstart FC 3 (Princiwill Emeka-5', 47', Ryan Wilfred-28') Vs Bangalore Eagles FC 1 (Bhanu Prakash-45'+2'[P]) 

Bengaluru colts go down to Leicester City in PL Next Gen Cup

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC’s opening encounter of the PL Next Gen Cup saw Naushad Moosa’s side go down 6-3 to Leicester City at the Leicester City Academy Grounds, in Loughborough, on Wednesday. The Foxes, who raced to a 6-0 lead through goals from Kian Pennant (13’, 27’), William Alves (18’) and Chris Popov (21’, 52’, 61), were met by a resolute second half performance from the Blue Colts, which saw Sivasakthi Narayanan (67’, 73’) and Damaitphang Lyngdoh (68’) find their name on the scoresheet. 

Moosa’s boys started bright and came close to scoring inside the first five minutes when Bekey Oram’s shot was saved by Arlo Doherty in the Leicester goal. Only minutes later, the hosts took the lead when Popov drove free down the right to find Pennant, whose initial effort was saved by Sharon Padattil, only for the England international to slot home on the rebound. 

Earlier, Damaitphang Lyngdoh, Thoi Singh and Lalremtluanga Fanai were named in midfield by Moosa, with Akashdeep Singh, Thoi Singh and Sivasakthi tasked in the attacking third. At the back, Robin Yadav and Felixson Fernandes marshaled a backline that had Namgyal Bhutia and Clarence Fernandes as fullbacks with Sharon in goal.

Leicester’s second came through Alves, who managed to latch onto a deflected effort to volley goalward and past Sharon. Just past the 20 minute mark, Popov scored his first of the evening, with a heavy deflection off Robin Yadav leaving Sharon rooted as the ball looped over and went in off the upright. Pennant would add another for the Foxes ahead of the break, as the Blue Colts made their way down the tunnel with a 4-0 deficit.

Into the second period, Bengaluru were pegged back again by Popov, who scored his second with a neat finish from the edge of the box. Popov rounded off his hat-trick from the spot after Dipesh Chauhan, on in the second half for Sharon, was adjudged to have fouled the Welshman in the box. 

Despite their 6-0 deficit, the Blue Colts kept pushing and found the net for the first time through Sivasakthi, who slid the ball through Doherty just past the hour mark. Moments later, a set-piece routine saw Leicester clear the ball in a haste, allowing Damaitphang Lyngdoh the opportunity to strike from distance, through a crowd and past Doherty, to make it 6-2. 

Bengaluru refused to relent, and scored again in the 73rd minute when Sivasakthi’s strike from distance evaded Doherty’s dive. Dipesh was called into action once again when Clarence Fernandes, making his competitive debut for the Blue Colts, was adjudged to have brought Pennant down in the box. The winger stepped up, but his spot-kick was saved well by Dipesh, who then proceeded to recover and save the strike on the rebound to keep the score unchanged.

Bengaluru continued to push forward in search of goals, but the referee called time on the proceedings, sending Naushad Moosa’s men towards an encounter for third place, for which the Blue colts will face Nottingham Forest on 30th July, Saturday, at the same venue.

Bengaluru FC sign right-back Prabir Das from Mohun Bagan

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC, on Monday, announced the signing of right-back Prabir Das from Mohun Bagan on a three-year-deal set to run until the end of the 2024-25 season. Das, a product of the Pailan Arrows Youth Academy, brings with him the experience of having played for a number of clubs, and has won the Federation Cup and Indian Super League.

“I am very happy at having signed for Bengaluru FC because this is a football club that I have admired for a while now. I have played at the Kanteerava and the atmosphere is always high-energy, and I am waiting to experience it while wearing the Bengaluru shirt. I am eager to play a big part in bringing back the success that this club is used to and I am grateful to the owners and management for showing faith in me, and for wanting me to be a part of their ambitions,” said Das, after completing the formalities on his deal.

Following a breakthrough 2012-13 season with Arrows, Das moved to Dempo and then went on loan to FC Goa and Delhi Dynamos in the inaugural editions of the Indian Super League. Having signed with I-League side Mohun Bagan in 2015, the 28-year-old has spent the last seven years in Kolkata with ATK and Mohun Bagan. 

“Prabir is a player we had set our sights on for some time now, and we’re happy to  have him commit his future to Bengaluru FC. Having a plethora of talent on the left, what the team needed was strengthening on the right. With Prabir and his experience, BFC have found a trusted and able player who makes us stronger. We are confident we can give Prabir the platform to excel and get back to the national team, while helping Bengaluru FC achieve its goal of getting back to where we belong – right at the top,” said club Director, Parth Jindal.

In the 2019-20 campaign, Das recorded the joint-highest assists by a defender with five, eventually winning the title with ATK. With Mohun Bagan, Das made 39 appearances over the last two seasons. 

Das has been capped at the National level, having made his debut for the India U19s in the 2012 AFC U-19 Championship qualifiers against Turkmenistan. In 2015, he made his India U23 debut against Syria in an AFC U23 Championship qualifier.