BFC colts begin U15 Youth League against Roots Football School

Bengaluru FC Media 

It’s the start of the competitive season for Bengaluru FC Under-15s as they kick off their campaign in the 2017-18 edition of the U15 Youth League against Roots Football School at the Centre of Sports Excellence in Yelahanka on Friday, 27th October 2017. 

Drawn in the Karnataka Zone, the Blues are grouped with five other city-based teams in Bangalore Youth Football League, Stadium Sports Foundation, Boca Juniors Soccer School and Ozone FA apart from Roots Football School.

Led by Ghanian coach Sadiq Abubakar, the Under-15s are based at the BFC Residential Academy in Bellary and have played a host of friendly games in Karnataka, Navi Mumbai and Goa preparation for the competition.

All the home games of the Under-15s will be played at the FSV Arena in Hennur, while the other teams will host their games Bangalore Football Stadium in Ashoknagar and the Centre of Sports Excellence in Yelahanka.

Meanwhile, newly formed BFC ‘B’ will also be in action in their first ever competitive tournament, when they take on Viva Chennai in the quarterfinal of the 12th G. V. Raja All India Football Tournament at the Chandrassekharan Nair Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram , Kerala.

Organized by the Thiruvananthapuram District Football Association, the annual G. V. Raja Tournament kicked off on 23rd October, and features 12 teams from all over India. Led by Naushad Moosa, BFC ‘B’ left for Kerala on Wednesday, and are seeded directly into the quarterfinals, and will play their semifinal game on the Sunday 29th, if make it through to the last 4. The final is scheduled on 5th November. 

Bengaluru FC ‘B’ ready for inaugural season

Bengaluru FC Media

Bengaluru FC announced a 28-member squad which will be part of the club’s first ever reserve side, known as Bengaluru FC ‘B’, for the 2017-18 season.

The squad, led by AFC Pro-License holder Naushad Moosa, is formed with a view of bridging the gap between the BFC Academy and the first team. Keeping the player pathway as the focal point of the Blues’ newest project, the management is committed on providing the best facilities at a professional level for up and coming Indian talent and has signed several young players for the season.

While two graduates, Leon Augustine and Prashanth Kalinga, from the inaugural batch of BFC’s Residential Academy in Bellary have been drafted into the squad, seven exciting players from the India U-19 set-up have also been signed. These youngsters, along with six other BFC Academy players who are part of BFC ‘B’, are eligible to represent the Blues in the U18 I-League.

Meanwhile, five players from the squad - Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Daniel Lalhlimpuia, Robinson Khumukcham, Prashanth Kalinga and Leon Augustine - are part of the Blues squad for the ongoing AFC Cup 2017.

Club CTO Mandar Tamhane said, “When we started the BFC Residential academy, we also had plans for BFC ‘B’. With competitive action at the national stage only available till the Under-18 level, it’s very crucial for youngsters graduating out of the academy to get competitive action. At 18, not all players are ready for the intense demands of the first team, and so with the ‘B’ side we are trying to bridge that gap. It’s no different than our first team, and along with a few graduates from our academy, we have scouted for some talented young players from all over the country who do have the potential to progress through to our first team.”

Head Coach Naushad Moosa said, “It is very important to have a reserve side in a club. With Bengaluru FC ‘B’, there’s a platform for youngsters to improve their game while rubbing shoulders with the established stars and getting a ton of competitive action at the same time. We know this season is going to be a challenge for us, but the management has provided with a great structure.”

The squad, formed predominantly with Under-23 players, has been training over the last few weeks at the Bangalore Football Stadium, and will be playing in the 2nd Division League, conducted by the All India Football Federation, apart from the upcoming BDFA Bengaluru Super Division, and other all-India level tournaments.

Bengaluru sign Bidyananda and Robinson

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC, today, announced the signings of midfielders Bidyananda Singh and Robinson Singh on two year contracts. While Bidyananda joins from ISL side Atletico De Kolkata, Robinson Singh joins the Blues from Mohun Bagan.

A defensive midfielder who progressed through the AIFF Academy ranks, Bidyananda joins the Blues after having represented India at the U13, U14, U15, U16 and U17 sides. The 19-year-old faced the Blues while playing for the AIFF U19s in a friendly in Bengaluru in 2015, a match in which he found the net.

“Bengaluru FC are the best in India and it is a big moment for me to sign for a club that wins trophies and competes with the best in Asia every season. I’m happy to get this opportunity and I’m looking forward to making the most of it,” said Bidyananda following the move.

Robinson, meanwhile, joins the Blues having represented Mohun Bagan for the last two seasons. The 20-year-old has also represented India at the U16, U17 and U19 levels. He was also part of the India team that took part in the AFC U23 Championship qualifiers in Doha, earlier in July.

“I’ve always believed that a move to BFC would be the best path for my career. In terms of the coaching, the professionalism and every aspect of football, this is the right place to be for any young footballer. This move is one that I’ve been working hard for, for a long time,” said Robinson.

Bengaluru FC sign another Spaniard Antonio Dovale

Bengaluru FC Media

Bengaluru FC have added more Spanish flavour to the side, signing winger Antonio Rodriguez Dovale for the 2017-18 campaign. Twenty-seven-year-old ‘Toni’, as he is widely known, joins Bengaluru FC from Spanish Segunda Division side Rayo Vallecano with whom he spent the 2016-17 season. He also becomes the third Spanish player in the side alongside Juanan Gonzalez and Dimas Delgado.

Born in A Coruña in Northern Spain, Toni spent his formative years at Obradoiro and FC Barcelona before joining Celta de Vigo in 2005 as a youth player. Two years later he was promoted to the reserve side before making his first team debut in the Segunda Divsion in 2009.

A brief loan spell at fellow Segunda Division side SD Huesca in 2010-11 was followed by a return to Celta, where he made 30 appearances helping the side achieve promotion to the La Liga at the end of the 2011-12 season. Over the next two years, Toni played an important role for Celta in the top-flight with the highlight being an impressive 9th place finish in the 2013-14 season.

Toni crossed the Atlantic in the year 2014 as he signed for Sporting Kansas City in the Major League Soccer (USA) where he helped the team reach the post-season play-offs. But he returned back to Spain with CD Lugo in 2014-15 before once again achieving promotion to the La Liga in the following season while playing for CD Leganes.

Having penned a one-year deal, Toni was eager to begin his journey at Bengaluru FC as soon as possible. “I am very excited about this new challenge in my career. I know I am coming to a big club and just can’t wait to start training to achieve our objectives this season. I have a good experience as a professional player, and I think that this is a step forward in my career which will be very important,” he said.

Toni was also excited with the prospect of playing in front of the Blues’ faithful, which he regards as a vital part of the club. “The fans are very important for us and I know that they are always supporting the club. I want to assure them that I will do my best to help the club achieve our goals for the season. I am feeling the good vibes and hope that this season will be a successful one,” he added.

Albert Roca, Bengaluru FC Head Coach, welcomed Toni into the Blues’ fold. “Antonio is a good young player and a crafty winger. Having played at the highest level in Spain, he brings in vital experience which will help us in the season ahead. He still wants to continue improving and his desire to learn will help him settle in quickly,” said Roca. 

Bengaluru sign Spanish midfielder Dimas Delgado

Bengaluru FC Media

Strengthening their squad ahead of the 2017-18 season, Bengaluru FC have completed the signing of experienced Spanish midfielder Dimas Delgado, the club announced on Tuesday. The 34-year-old Catalan joins the Blues after skippering Western Sydney Wanderers in the Australian A-League and the AFC Champions League.

The midfielder becomes the Blues' fourth foreigner and joins fellow countryman Juanan Gonzalez, along with John Johnson and recently signed Erik Paartalu in the side.

Santa Coloma-born Dimas, who began his career at Catalonia-based Spanish lower league side Gramenet in 2002, made the move to FC Barcelona in 2006. He represented FC Barcelona Reserves for two seasons, before joining newly promoted La Liga side Numancia in 2008. He was a mainstay in his side’s midfield, racking up 20 top-flight appearances in the club’s third La Liga stint post-2000.

A three-year stint at Numancia was followed by spells at Cartagena (2011-12) and Recreativo Huelva (2012-15) in the Segunda Division. Having played over 400 games in Spanish football, Dimas made his first overseas move joining Western Sydney Wanderers.

His experience proved vital for the team as they finished runners-up in the 2015-16 season after being placed ninth in the previous campaign. The following year, Dimas was named captain of the side and led them to the finals series as well as in the AFC Champions League. Over two seasons, Dimas made a total of 59 appearances, while netting six goals in all competitions for the Sydney-side.

“I’m very excited to join Bengaluru FC and it will be a fantastic experience for me and my family in India. I can’t wait to start and get to know everyone at the club along with my teammates and staff,” said Dimas having put pen to paper on a one-year deal.

“I will give my best every single day to help my team and all the players, and hope to take the club to even bigger heights,” he added.

Coach Albert Roca, who was assistant at Barcelona when Delgado was with the B side, said he was aware of the quality that the midfielder will bring to Bengaluru. “I’ve seen Dimas from close quarters and have no doubt about his quality and experience. He is a hardworking and good professional and we’re confident this stint will be a successful one.”

Bengaluru sign Aussie midfielder Paartalu

Bengaluru FC Media

Less than a week after retaining Sunil Chhetri and Udanta Singh, Bengaluru FC have added to their arsenal in signing Australian midfielder Erik Paartalu on a season-long deal. The Blues have also retained defender Juanan Gonzalez who will join John Johnson for another season at the heart of Bengaluru’s defence.

Towering at 6'4", Sydney-born Paartalu began his career in the National Soccer League, now the A-League, with Northern Spirit. His stints in Australia included three seasons with Brisbane Roar when they played AFC Champions League football. At Brisbane, Paartalu won two Championships and one Premiership and played 85 consecutive matches while setting an Australian record of any sporting code with an unbeaten streak of 36 games.

Paartalu moved to Chinese side Tianjin TEDA FC in 2013 before a switch to Thailand with Muangthong United the following year. He was also part of South Korean side Jeonbuk Hyundai for a brief period in the season that side went on to win the AFC Champions League.
The midfielder earned his first senior national team cap in 2012, playing in a World Cup Qualifier for the ‘Socceroos’ against Saudi Arabia.

“I was really excited by the Bengaluru FC project because it is a club that's doing really well for itself in an expanding market. Indian football is getting bigger and bigger. It felt like the right project to get involved with. I spoke with Cameron Watson and he sold it to me in terms of where the club is. They've been very successful in the last four years and are looking to make major steps in the Indian Super League,” said Paartalu.

The 31-year-old was confident that his experience in AFC competition will prove handy for the Blues who are gearing up for their inter-zone semifinal in the AFC Cup against North Korean side 4.25 SC on August 23.

“I've played in a lot of countries in Asia so that experience is invaluable when it comes to playing games on different continents with short turnarounds. Being 31, I've experienced football for a long time and playing in the AFC Cup will definitely suit me. I look forward to playing in the ISL and I know I can do well in the League with a good team around me.”

Bengaluru FC coach Albert Roca said he was confident of Paartalu bringing his experience to the table as the club attempts to rebuild the squad this season. “A lot of things change for us this season and experience is what will play a key role during this phase. Erik brings that kind of experience with him and I’m certain he will be a vital figure at Bengaluru FC,” said Roca. 

Naushad Moosa joins Bengaluru FC as 'Indian' Assistant Coach

Bengaluru FC Media

Bengaluru FC on Thursday, announced the appointment of AFC Pro-Licensed Coach Naushad Moosa as Indian Assistant Coach for the first team. Also, he will be the Head Coach of the newly formed BFC reserve side.

Moosa has formerly served as Head of Youth Development and Head Coach of the U19 side at Pune FC and was head coach of Air India Limited in 2012. A former youth Coach at Mumbai FC, his most recent appointment was as U14s coach at Reliance Foundation Young Champs.

“As a coach, it is a privilege to join a club that has a winning mentality. Bengaluru FC has won a trophy in each of its four seasons and the professionalism of this team is second to none. I’m really looking forward to being a part of the setup here,” said Moosa following his appointment.

A former footballer himself, Moosa has turned out for Air India, Churchill Brothers, East Bengal FC, Mahindra United and Mohammedan Sporting in a career that spanned over 12 years. As coach of the Pune FC U19s, Moosa claimed the U18 I-League twice in three years and won the Pune League in 2016.

“We are very happy to add Naushad to our backroom staff. His experience as a player and coach will add a lot of value to our team and the added responsibility of managing the reserve squad will see him nurture the future stars at BFC,” said club COO Mustafa Ghouse.

While joining Albert Roca and Carles Cuadrat as  the Blues’ first team coaches, 46-year-old Moosa will also be at the helm of things for the newly formed BFC reserve side, which looks to bridge the gap between the clubs Residential Youth Academy in Bellary and the first team. 

Chhetri’s brilliance takes Bengaluru to AFC Cup knock-out stage

Bengaluru FC Media

A Sunil Chhetri moment of magic, one like he's produced ever so often in high-stake games, sent Bengaluru FC to the knock-out stages of the AFC Cup for a third straight season when the Blues beat Maziya S&RC 1-0 at the Kanteerava Stadium, on Wednesday.

Chhetri's goal in the 57th minute, an elegant free kick from 20 yards out after Juanan Gonzalez was brought down, took Bengaluru level on points (12) with Group E leaders Maziya but sent the Federation Cup champions through by virtue of a better head-to-head record over the Maldivian side.

The talismanic skipper, who had his Federation Cup campaign cut short in the group stages with a muscle injury, handed the Bengaluru camp a massive boost when he was announced fit to play by Roca at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday. And Chhetri showed the tricks he brings to parties like these with a sweetly hit take.

Earlier, the Blues had a lucky escape in the 17th minute when Aleksandar Rakic saw his header from an Ali Samooh cross crash into the post. But that chance apart, The Maldivian side didn’t care to venture into Bengaluru’s attacking third, choosing to firmly park the bus instead.

In what was a frustrating first half for Bengaluru, Roca’s men created a host of half chances but Maziya, defending in numbers, did just about enough to keep danger at bay and keep it goalless at half time.

Needing a goal to keep hopes of qualifying alive, Maziya threw numbers in attack and almost conceded on the counter from the Blues as Lyngdoh set up Daniel through with only the ’keeper to beat but the striker lost his footing and possession with it.

The Blues made sure to run the clock down by clinging onto the ball as much as possible, progressing from the group stages of the AFC Cup for a third consecutive season, this time to go on and take part in the South Zone Inter Zone Playoff Semifinal.

Bengaluru FC face Bagan in AFC ahead of Sunday’s Fed Cup final

Bengaluru FC Media 

In what will be a precursor of the Federation Cup final, a rested Bengaluru FC side will take on Mohun Bagan in a Group E game of the AFC Cup at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, in Kolkata, on Wednesday. While both Bengaluru and Maziya S&RC are level on points 9 points from 4 games, Albert Roca’s side continue to lead the group owing to a better head-to-head record over the team from the Maldives who host Abahani Dhaka Limited in the group’s earlier kick-off.

With the battle for who makes it out of the group set to go down to the last round where Bengaluru host Maziya on May 31, Roca chose to hand a fair number of players some much needed rest. “This will be our fifth game in 8 days and it’s a situation we have to manage. The heat in Cuttack has taken a lot out of the squad and it was only fair that some of the boys get time to recover before the final.Wednesday’s AFC Cup game is a great chance for the other boys on the squad who have been thorough professionals and have put their hand up whenever the team has needed them,” said Roca on the eve of the game.

While John Johnson and Harmanjot Khabra miss the fixture with suspensions, Cameron Watson hasn’t traveled after taking ill. Amrinder Singh and Juanan Gonzalez are among the other players who haven’t traveled. Skipper Sunil Chhetri has, meanwhile, made the trip back to Bengaluru to have his injury assessed by the club’s medical team.

Mohun Bagan are out of contention in the AFC Cup and given the Federation Cup final scheduled in four days from now, manager Sanjoy Sen too could hand his key players some much-needed rest.

“No matter what squad Mohun Bagan or we decide to go with, I have no illusions of this game being one where we can afford to take our foot off the pedal. The conditions will be tougher for us and I’m confident that the boys will make the most of the experience,” added Roca.

The Blues came back from a goal down to beat Bagan 2-1 in the home leg of this fixture and Roca has told his young side to draw inspiration from that night. “Bagan have always been tough competitors and both the clubs are always fighting for titles. The younger players on the team have a point to prove to me and I’m looking forward to a good show.”

The game kicks off at 7 pm.

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.

Bengaluru play 1-1 draw with Mohun Bagan, make Hero Federation Cup semis

AIFF Media 
Bengaluru FC Media

Defending Hero Federation Cup Champions Mohun Bagan finished table toppers of Group B with seven points out of three matches, after playing out a 1-1 draw against Bengaluru FC in the ongoing 38th edition of the Hero Federation Cup in Cuttack, Odhisa today.

Both Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC qualified for the semi-final stage of the Tournament with the Blues finishing runners-up with four points out of three matches.

Alwyn George’s 12th-minute strike was cancelled by a 50th minute Sony Norde goal for Mohun Bagan as both Teams shared the points at the end of the match.

Bengaluru FC had to conjure a draw to progress to the semi-finals of the Hero Federation Cup and Alberto Roca’s team showed signs of taking the match by the scruff of the neck in the opening minutes itself. When the Blues took the lead in the 12th minute after Alwyn George cut in from the right flank and released a shot which beat Debjit Majumder on the near post and handed Bengaluru FC a solitary goal lead.

In the 30th minute, Katsumi Yusa’s header earned a reflex save from Amrinder Singh after the Japanese was found in the box by Jeje’s header, as Mohun Bagan pressed for the equaliser.

Despite Bagan dominating possession in the final third for the latter half of the first half, the Bengaluru FC defence kept out the trio of Jeje, Katsumi Yusa and Sony Norde, giving them no time at all to shoot. While Norde who usually dropped deep to collect the ball was out-muscled off possession by Bengaluru bodies in defence. The half-time scoreline read 1-0 in BFC’s favour.

In the 50th minute, Sony Norde found the back of the net after his shot from distance curled into Amrinder’s goal to level proceedings as Bagan kick-started the second half.

Bengaluru FC pressed to score again and Doungel’s shot in the 59th minute went inches over the bar minutes before Bengaluru FC were awarded a corner kick.

Playing cautiously after scoring, Mohun Bagan beefed up bodies in the midfield to counter the free-flowing attacks of Bengaluru FC. With a draw enough to get both Teams into the knock-out stage, both teams played the match cautiously, not over committing to attacks was a common sight. The full-time scoreline read 1-1 as both Teams progressed to the semi-final stage. 

Bengaluru take on Mohun Bagan in must-win fixture

Bengaluru FC Media

Bengaluru FC take on Mohun Bagan on Friday at the Barabati Stadium knowing a win would give the Blues the best chance to make it to the semifinal of the Federation Cup from a group that’s riddled with possibilities for all teams involved, with a last round of games left to play.

With the DSK-Lajong game kicking off at 4 pm, the Blues will know exactly what they need to do against Bagan later in the evening. But Albert Roca has asked his side to turn a blind eye to all combinations of results and mathematics and instead focus on three points against the Kolkata side who lead the Group B standings having all but made the cut to the last four with two wins in as many games. “We find ourselves in a situation where our backs are against the wall and while our progress could be determined by the other result in the group, we need to train all our thoughts on getting the win against Bagan,” said Roca on the eve of the game.

Bengaluru’s 2-0 defeat to DSK means the Pune side joins the Blues on second position with three points while Lajong, with two losses, are bottom of the pile. The head-to-head record will determine who makes it out of the group should there be two teams with same points. In the event of three teams finishing with the same points, goal difference serve as the deciding factor.

In what is a bit of a set-back, Bengaluru will be without midfielder Eugeneson Lyngdoh who sits out of the fixture with two bookings in as many games. But Roca sounded confident of the quality his side possessed. “We have enough ability on this team to find us results when we need them the most. Every player in every position will have to step up if we are to stay alive in the competition. We know we are up against a very strong team in Bagan and nothing short of our best will do,” said Roca.

Having put a dominant show for most parts of both group stage games, Bengaluru will have to be wary of the lapses in focus that saw them concede rather needless goals. “We’ve seen what happens when we let our guard down for even a bit. We got away with it in the first game but were punished in the second. We are a side that loves to attack always and that can leave us a little vulnerable on the counter if we aren’t focused enough. Let’s hope we can fix this in a game where mistakes can end our tournament,” said Roca.

The match kicks off at 7 pm and will be telecast live on Ten 2. 

Shivajians beat Bengaluru, throw open Group B in Hero Federation Cup

AIFF Media 
Bengaluru FC Media

DSK Shivajians rode on Spanish import Juan Barraso's brace to defeat JSW Bengaluru FC 2-0 in the ongoing 38th edition of the Hero Federation Cup here at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha today (May 10, 2017), to throw open Group B.

A sly goal from the penalty spot in the 71st minute followed by a peach of a goal from a free-kick more than 30 yards out in the 76th minute from Juan Barraso led DSK Shivajians to a hard-fought win over their opponents.  

Meanwhile, DSK Shivajian’s win means that three teams out of four find themselves level on points in Group B. While Mohun Bagan still lead Group B with three points out one match and a goal difference of +4, both DSK Shivajians and JSW Bengaluru FC have gathered three points out of two matches played.

DSK Shivajian’s Korean import Kim Song Yong leading the line gave the Bengaluru FC defensive pairing a tough time. Flanked by Lallianzuala and Juan Barraso, Dave Roger’s men utilised the wings in the early minutes, searching for an early goal. In the 9th minute, Lallianzuala connected on a cross from the left flank, but he was flagged offside.

For Bengaluru, the first real chance came in the 19th minute when a corner kick was met by a thumping John Johnson header, only for the DSK to make a goal line clearance. Three minutes later, the Blues had another chance from a set piece after Juan Fernandez’s header flew inches past the DSK goal off a Cameron Watson free-kick.

Bengaluru FC despite dominating possession through the first half and enjoying healthy spells in the final third, could not make much of it. The half-time scoreline read 0-0.

The second half began in a different manner. This time it was JSW Bengaluru FC that attacked early on and DSK custodian Subrata Pal had to make two saves – first from a Eugene shot followed by palming away a corner kick.

Sunil Chhetri in front with Daniel Lalhimpuia while Nishu Kumar gave Bengaluru FC width on the flanks as the Blues adopted an attacking stance. On the other end, however, DSK Shivajians came close to scoring had it not been Ralte’s quick reflexes.

The Bengaluru custodian in the 50th minute palmed away a Lallianzuala cross which was aimed towards Kim’s direction. With no real pressure, Kim would have had a free header if not for Ralte’s quick thinking. Shortly after, Rohit Kumar tried to catch Ralte off his lines, but the former’s shot was misguided.

With neither team fostering any real goal scoring opportunity in the remainder of the time, the match culminated in the midfield where both cancelled each other out. In the 70th minute, DSK were awarded a penalty after Lallianzuala was brought down in the box. A cool finish by Juan Barraso from the spot gave Dave Roger’s men the lead.

In the 76th minute, Barraso scored a screamer from a freekick more than 30 yards out to double DSK’s lead. Dave Rogers and his men held on to the two-goal advantage as the full-time read 2-0. 

Bengaluru begin Fedration Cup quest with Lajong test

Bengaluru FC Media 

Albert Roca asked his Bengaluru FC side to brush aside the hurdles of a packed schedule and humid weather conditions and train their focus on chasing Federation Cup glory as the Blues open their campaign with a clash against Shillong Lajong at the Barabati Stadium, on Monday.

Stacked alongside reigning champions Mohun Bagan, DSK Shivajians and Lajong in Group B, Bengaluru have been building an impressive momentum ahead of the competition that guarantees the winner a slot in the AFC Cup. “We ended the League season on a good note and except the blip in Dhaka, we’ve done well in the AFC Cup too where our fate is firmly in our hands. Surely, the Federation Cup will be a whole new ball game but we’ve been doing things correctly and if we can manage the situation of the schedule and the heat, we should be alright,” said Roca on the eve of the game.

The Blues have been buoyed by the arrival of striker Cornell Glen who joined the squad in Cuttack after a week of working on his fitness in Bengaluru. Incidentally, Glen has previously turned out for Lajong and Bagan and it needs to be seen the role Roca hands him in the tournament.

Bengaluru, who did the double over Lajong in the League this season, have faced the side from the hills just once in this competition previously and came away 1-0 winners on their way to lifting the title in 2016. “We’ve beaten Lajong twice this season but this competition a clean slate for everyone and the margin for error is very less. Two good weeks of football and you could be representing the country in Asia which is going to give belief to every team in this competition. It’s going to boil down to how clinically we take our chances,” added Roca.

Two sides from each group of the Federation Cup qualify for the semifinals while the Blues will have an extra game to play as they face Mohun Bagan in an AFC Cup Group clash on the 17^th.

The match between the Bengaluru and Lajong FC kicks off at 4 pm and will be telecast live on Ten 2.

Abahani strike late to beat Bengaluru

Bengaluru FC Media 

Failure to put simple chances away came back to bite Bengaluru FC who were handed a 2-0 defeat to Abahani Limited Dhaka in a Group E game of the AFC Cup at the Bangabandhu Stadium, in Dhaka, on Tuesday. Late goals from substitute Saad Uddin (87) and Rubel Miya (90+2) saw the Blues suffer their first defeat in the competition this season and Roca’s men now have their task cut out if they are to make the knock-out stages of the competition.

Roca, having rested key players on the weekend, handed starts to Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Sunil Chhetri, CK Vineeth, Cameron Watson and John Johnson. With a 3-5-2 system that saw Harmanjot Khabra and Nishu Kumar deployed as wing-backs, the Blues looked to contain the Abahani attack while pressing for the opener.

The Blues went at the Abahani defence from the get go, winning a corner in the very first minute, while applying pressure on the home side throughout the first half. John Johnson’s early header went straight at Abahani ’keeper Sahidul Sohel before Nishu’s run and strike failed to hit the target at the half hour mark.

Bengaluru’s best chance of the half came when Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s corner met the head of skipper Sunil Chhetri but the effort, once again, was easy pickings for the Abahani custodian.

Abahani, for their part, looked far more comfortable than the nervous side that went down 2-0 to Bengaluru away from home. Rubel Miya left Nishu behind to send a cross in but Mohammad Nasir’s effort was wide of Amrinder’s frame. The sides went into the break with all to play for but it was the Blues that came out with more intent in the second half.

Roca sent on Alwyn George for Vineeth while Daniel Lalhlimpuia replaced Nishu in a tactical change. Switching to a back four to add to Bengaluru’s attack, Alwyn pulled the strings behind Lalhlimpuia and had his first shot moments after the restart.

Both substitutes had big chances but Alwyn was guilty of not putting away the easier of the two in the 72ndminute. Chhetri did well to keep the ball in play down the left and served the perfect cut-back from the tightest of angles only to see Alwyn blaze his shot over from close.

Bengaluru were handed a big advantage eleven minutes from time when Mohammad Nasir’s deliberate hand-ball earned the Abahani player his second booking of the game to reduce the hosts to ten men. Looking to make most of the extra man, Roca’s final substitution of the night saw the Spaniard throw in striker Len Doungel for Khabra.

But it was Abahani who landed the killer blow in the 87th minute when Saad Uddin tapped home a cross on the volley to give the hosts a lead that Bengaluru couldn’t do much to erase. The Blues then conceded a second in additional time when goalkeeper Amrinder Singh, high up on the pitch to put the ball back in play from a Bengaluru corner, was robbed off the ball by Rubel Miya who ran a few yards with it before chipping into an empty goal from distance.

Earlier, in the Group’s other game, Maziya S&RC knocked Mohun Bagan out of the completion with a 5-2 result in the Maldives to make the race to the knock-out stages one that goes down to the wire.

Bengaluru travel to Cuttack next, where they begin their Federation Cup campaign with a clash against Shillong Lajong at the Barabati Stadium, on Monday.

Bengaluru finish I-League campaign in style, takes fourth spot

AIFF Media
Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC finished off their Hero I-League campaign defeating Churchill Brothers 3-0, their sixth win (including AFC Cup) in as many matches. The result ensured they ended their campaign with 30 points from 18 matches at the 4th spot in the League table.

Churchill, on the other hand, finished with 20 points from 18 matches, their position in the table to be decided on the morrow.

Keeping an eye on the forthcoming Hero Federation Cup which kicks-off on May 7, BFC Coach Albert Roca preferred to rest a number of his star players. Goalkeeper Lalthuammawia Ralte was handed his first I-League game with the Blues fielding just one foreigner — defender Juanan pairing up with Sandesh Jhingan in Central defence.

With the starting eleven boasting of five U-22 players, the hosts surged into the lead as early as the 5thminute – former AIFF Academy product Gursimrat Singh swaying an inch-perfect cross from the right flank for another former AIFF Academy product Daniel Lalhlimpuia to tap it in.

A minute before conceding the goal, Churchill, however, had bagged the first corner of the match which they failed to capitalise.

The visitors missed an easy chance to equalise a few minutes later when Anthony D’souza despite finding himself in a 1v1 with Goalkeeper Ralte failed to make the most of it.

Meanwhile, some silky touches from the talented Udanta Singh puzzled Churchill defence. And it was the slippery Manipuri who doubled the lead in the 35th minute.

Grabbing a through pass, he cut in past the onrushing rival keeper Naveen Kumar, controlled it, and slotted it home as BFC headed to the interval with a two-goal cushion.

Changing over, Churchill brought in striker Kromah, in an effort to add more thrust to attack. Both Kromah and his captain Anton Wolfe raided Bengaluru with solo efforts but an alert Bengaluru defence wasn’t to be broken.

The final goal for the Blues came in the 84th minute – winger Mandar Rao Dessai curling it in off a pass from Salam Ranjan Singh.

Mandar was adjudged the Hero of the Match.

U18 I-League: Bengaluru and DSK play out goalless draw

Bengaluru FC Media 

A dominant Bengaluru FC U18 Academy side drew with DSK Shivajians in their opening Group C game of the U18 I-League, at the Barasat Stadium, in Kolkata, on Firday. The Blue Colts dominated proceedings by giving little or no space to their opposition and extinguishing any signs of an attack from he Pune outfit in midfield.

The John Kenneth Raj-coached side had a chance to go ahead in the 30th minute when Amay Morajkar, with only the ’keeper to beat, shot the ball straight into his hands. Sourav TP too came close when he dribbled past his marker and had only the ’keeper to beat. His shot, however was wide off the mark. The Blue Colts’ final chance came from a corner in the final minute, when a ball from Vignesh V fell to an unmarked Sourav who was unable to hit the target.

The Blue Colts face Minerva Punjab Academy in their second Group C clash at the same venue on Sunday.

Bengaluru to sign-off on a higher note

AIFF Media
Bengaluru FC Media

In the final round of the Hero I-League for this season, Bengaluru FC host Goan outfit Churchill Brothers FC Goa at Shree Kanterava Stadium tomorrow (April 29, 2017).

Both teams are coming off a big-margin victory in their previous round encounters. Bengaluru staged a remarkable 7-0 win against DSK Shivajians and Churchill thrashed Chennai City FC 6-1. Incidentally, both of these results are the biggest victories this season of Hero I-League.

Both teams are out of the title contention long back, so what would be their motivation?

With Bengaluru winning five straight matches (two AFC Cup and three Hero I-League), they would like to continue the good run and mark as a preparation for the Hero Federation Cup, which will be contested between the top eight teams of the I-League. Federation Cup will be played at Cuttack in Odisha and it is scheduled to start from May 7, 2017.

Not to forget the AFC Cup, which they have won all their group matches until now; they look certain to qualify for the knock-out stage.

The bright spot in their massive last week win is that five players were involved in scoring the goals and all of those came from Indian players. With foreigners failing to play a major role in Blues’ strike force this season, this must have pleased Coach Albert Roca.

“Unfortunately we cannot go any higher than fourth position but we’ve built some fantastic momentum and we need to keep that going. We won’t be taking our foot off the pedal. More importantly, Saturday gives us the chance to thank the fans for sticking by us through the season and I’m sure the boys will make most of it,” said Roca on the eve of the game.

“We can’t undo games and results from the past. It’s always about the present and as it stands, we have something good going for us,” was Roca’s take when asked about the result away from home.

Churchill Brothers, the lone representation from Goa in this edition of Hero I-League, started their campaign on a disastrous note. Much to the credit of Coach Derrick Pereira, exhorted late surge and lifted the team out of the relegation equation. Churchill Brothers now find themselves in a respectable position in the points table.

All eyes would be on midfielder Brandon Fernandes, who has been a consistent performer in this season and Bektur Talgat, the 22-year Kyrgyz nationality player, scorer of four goals against Chennai last week.

The match is scheduled at 07:00 pm and will be telecast live on Ten 2.

Bengaluru look to keep momentum going against DSK

AIFF Media 
Bengaluru FC Media 

The business end of the Hero I-League at the Garden City will witness the winner of the previous edition, Bengaluru FC hosting DSK Shivajians tomorrow at the Sree Kanterava Stadium, Bengaluru. 

While the primary focus will be on the hills at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Aizawl where the front-runners of Hero I-League, Aizwal FC and Mohun Bagan will be battling it out, and probably winner of the Hero I-League title will be decided, the significance of the Bengaluru versus DSK match would be to maintain the winning form - both teams won their respective last round I-League matches.  

After winning two I-League tiles and finishing another one by a whisker, this edition of I-League must have been a disappointing one for the Steelmen. Out of League contention, they are making amends of their poor start in the League. With a couple good wins in the previous two rounds of I-League complemented by top performance in AFC Cup Group league stage, they stand a bright chance of finishing among top three in the I-League. 

The Pune-based corporate team Shivajians increased East Bengal’s woes by defeating them at their home on last Sunday. Arguably, a top performance, considering they’ve won only three matches playing 15 games prior to that. With three teams in 17 points, they would definitely like garner away points and take the sixth spot in the points table. 

DSK’s Keeper and Indian national player Subrata Paul was brilliant under the bar as he thwarted several of East Bangal attacks. A form that he would like to carry tomorrow. 

The match is scheduled at 7:05 pm and will be telecast live on Ten2 television channel.

Bengaluru resume league battle with Mohun Bagan showdown in Kolkata

Bengaluru FC Media

In a fixture that’s never lacked intensity, Bengaluru FC will square off against Mohun Bagan for a third straight time as the I-League resumes after a fortnight-long international break, at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, in Kolkata, on Saturday.

While the Blues’ chances of retaining the League title are all but over, coach Albert Roca believes that the need to put in a good show ahead of an important AFC Cup tie against Maziya S&RC away from home in just three days from now and the prospect of coming up against Bengaluru’s arch rivals on the domestic stage should work as enough motivation for his boys to deliver.

“We are up against Mohun Bagan and that should tell you how important this game is for us. Also, while we may not be able to finish on top of the table, we need to climb as high as possible, on it. It’s going to be a very difficult game because Bagan know that if they drop points, their title aspirations will suffer a major dent too.”

Prior to the international break, Bengaluru faced the Sanjoy Sen-coached side on consecutive occasions, as a goalless draw in the League was followed by a comeback win for the Blues in the opening game of the 2017 AFC Cup. The Spaniard has called for his side, who are in fifth place, to be competitive if they are to take anything away from Kolkata this time around.

“We are the champions of India and we will be playing like that on Saturday. There is no point coming here if we aren’t going be competitive,” said Roca, while addressing the press on the eve of the game.

Bengaluru had as many as seven players away with the national team for the AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Myanmar and Roca said he still hasn’t decided the team that he will roll out against Bagan a side that sits in third place on the League table. “We play two important games in four days and I’m going to have to see how we handle this situation. What you can expect for certain is that the team that plays will be one that chases a win.”

Defender Rino Anto and goalkeeper Lalthuammawia Ralte miss out as they continue to recover from their injuries while Mohun Bagan are boosted by the presence of Sony Norde, who trained with the side following his return from international duty with Haiti at the CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifiers.