Bengaluru seal final spot with comeback win over Sudeva in Hero Sub Junior League

AIFF Media 

Sudeva FC and Bengaluru FC (BFC) faced off in an absorbing battle that saw great end-to-end action. BFC started off on the front foot as they created some early openings but just six minutes into the match, it was Sudeva who took the lead through midfielder Hiti Seb from the penalty spot. 

The side from Bengaluru upped the ante as a result, coming close to scoring on several occasions. Ishaan Raghunanda had a chance to shoot from the right flank and kept his shot on target, which was tipped past the post by keeper Pankaj Bhandari in the 16th minute.

Four minutes later, they were inches away from equalizing as a chipped effort from the BFC striker was cleared off the line in an acrobatic manner by Sudeva’s Bijay Champia. Soon, Rohit Negi had a chance from a free-kick from the right flank but his curling effort landed on the top of the net.

With the half coming to an end, BFC were not to be denied in the third minute of added time as they scored their first with a goal straight from the training ground. Skipper Gautam Rajesh played a short corner and crossed the ball from the left flank, which was headed in at the far post by defender Vinith Venkatesh.

Scoring just before the break certainly upped BFC’s confidence and they carried it on in the second half – taking the lead in the 40th minute. It was another aerial ball that did the trick as Ishaan’s cross from the right found Chandan Biju unmarked and he headed it home to make it two to BFC.

Sudeva tried hard to find their way past a sturdy BFC defence but could not gain the upper hand. In the 53rd minute, Bengaluru were inches away from their third goal as forward Yodhin Rishyak struck a powerful shot from the top of the box but saw it come back out off the post.

In the end, Bengaluru held on for the win and made their way into the final, that will take place at the Don Bosco Ground in Margao on Wednesday (May 22, 2019).

Bengaluru cruise 5-0 past Anantapur Sports Academy, end zonal stages unbeaten

Bengaluru FC Media

Rajan Mani’s Bengaluru FC U13s put on a clinical show to enter the final rounds of the Hero Sub Junior League unbeaten, following a 5-0 rout of Ananthapur Sports Academy at the Bengaluru Football Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Thursday. Ishaan Raghunanda scored a hat-trick, while goals from Chandan Biju and Gautam Rajesh ensured the Young Blues ended the Zonal Rounds with a perfect record.

In a game that the hosts dominated from start to finish, it was Ishaan that broke the deadlock in the 8th minute, taking a pass in his stride before slotting home from inside the box. Chandan doubled the lead 15 minutes later, holding off his marker to slot past Fayaz Khureshi in the Ananthapur goal to double the advantage going into the break.

Mani’s side continued to push forward in the second period, and took just eight minutes to add to their advantage. Substitute Aditya Kalasur played a long diagonal that sliced the Ananthapur defence, and Ishaan made no mistake slotting home off the upright. In the 64th minute, skipper Gautam Rajesh got his name on the scoresheet, rising high to nod home Kalasur’s corner into the far post to make it 5-0.

Ishaan completed his treble with just three minutes left to play in regulation time after he was found unmarked outside the area by Gautam. In space and with time at hand, his low drive was past the outstretched arms of Fayaz.

Bengaluru FC U13s will step up their preparations for the final round of the Hero Sub Junior League, set to be held in Goa between 14th and 22nd May 2019.

Bengaluru FC U13s 5 (Ishaan 8’, 43’, 67’, Chandan 22’, Gautam 64’) bt Ananthapur Sports Academy 0

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. 

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.

Roots FS wins against Sporthood in Hero Sub-Junior League opener

Roots Football School started their season with a 6-1 win in their first home match against SportHood in the Hero Sub-Junior League at the Padukone-Dravid Center of Sports Excellence.

Gavin Rasquinha scored the first goal for Roots FS off a free kick in the fourth minute. Leo Saiju equalized within few minutes later. Samrudh Sharan tapped in a cross from Riki to restore the lead for Roots. Gavin went on to complete a hat trick in the first half, and added another to his tally in the second half. Agasthyaa Thakur scored in the dying moments to make it six for Roots.

Bengaluru FC down Jain Academy 11-0

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC began their Hero Sub-Junior League campaign in style with a massive 11-0 win over Jain Academy for Sports Excellence at the Bengaluru Football Stadium, on Sunday. 

The victory was powered by a four-goal effort from Chandan Biju (1’, 29’, 37’, 46’), while Ishaan Raghunanda (4’, 52’), Yodhin Rishyak (12’, 31’) and skipper Gautam Rajesh (23’, 64’) struck braces. Vinith Venkatesh (9’) was the fifth goalscorer for Bengaluru FC who secured all three points and moved to the summit of Group-B of the Bengaluru Zone in the competition. 

In a completely one-sided affair, the Young Blues dominated right from the start and struck seven times inside the first half. The best of the efforts came from skipper Gautam, who let one fly from 20 yards into the bottom corner. Rajan Mani's boys continued to impress in the second period with four more goals to take the tally into double digits. 

Bengaluru FC will next play BOCA Juniors SC away at the Centre for Sports Excellence in Yelahanka on Thursday, February 28.