Stage set for Bengaluru - Mohun Bagan battle at Barabati

AIFF Media 
Bengaluru FC  Media

Three weeks on the road, a season-ending injury to their talismanic captain and a last gasp penalty save to send them to the summit clash later, Bengaluru FC will look to bring home a title they won in 2015 when they take on rivals Mohun Bagan in a Federation Cup final scripted for the gallery, at the Barabati Stadium, in Cuttack, on Sunday.

The fixture marks the sixth meeting between the two rivals this season and could well be the most important one given the winners bag a spot in next season’s AFC Cup. “Sunday will be our second cup final in less than a year and it’s something we are proud to be part of. The team has shown immense character to make it to this stage and we are ready to give it one final push. I would say Bagan are the favourites with some big names on their roster and the availability of all four foreigners for this fixture. We have no problem being the underdogs,” said Roca while addressing the press on the eve of the game.

In what will be a vital miss for the Blues, midfielder Cameron Watson whose penalty sent Roca’s men to the final, won’t have any part to play in the big clash owing to a suspension. “Cameron has been an important player for us all season and his experience will be missed in the midfield. But like I’ve said before, we have enough quality on this squad and ability has never been a worry for me. Everyone on the squad knows what is at stake and I’m expecting them bring their best to the final.”

In Mohun Bagan, Bengaluru will be up against arguably one of the strongest strike forces in the country and the battle between a John Johnson-led defence and Darryl Duffy, Sony Norde and Balwant Singh will be key to how the final unfolds. “We back ourselves in defence as much as we do in attack and we’re all relishing the prospect of this clash. It’s been a tough three weeks on the road but it now all comes down to this one game and we will be giving it everything,” said Johnson who will, in all likelihood, pull on the captain’s armband.

Bengaluru’s road to the final wasn’t as smooth as Roca would have liked it to be but the Spaniard hopes his side finish things off on a high. The Blues beat Shillong Lajong 3-2 in the league-phase opener before suffering a shock 2-0 defeat to DSK Shivajians. Bengaluru then managed a 1-1 draw with Bagan which was enough to set up a semifinal clash against League champions Aizawl FC. Watson’s early penalty seemed enough to get the job done before Aizawl were awarded a penalty in the last minute of added time. But Amrinder Singh guessed correctly to keep the take out and hand Bengaluru a shot at the title. 

“We’ve made it a little more difficult for ourselves than we would have liked to but that’s how football can be sometimes. What’s important is we showed character and tomorrow will be another test of it,” said Roca.

Bagan, in comparison, had it relatively easier, beating DSK 4-0, Lajong 3-2 and then handing arch rivals East Bengal a 2-0 defeat in the semifinal.  

The game kicks off at 7 pm and will be beamed live on the Ten 2 network.

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.

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 FC keen on steadier show ahead of DSK challenge

Bengaluru FC Media 

Albert Roca called his Bengaluru FC side to iron out the creases and keep things tight as the Blues ready to take on DSK Shivajians in a Group B clash of the Federation Cup, at the Barabati Stadium, in Cuttack, on Wednesday.

Bengaluru got their campaign off to a winning start with a 3-2 defeat of Shillong Lajong on Monday but made things harder than they needed be after coasting to a 2-0 lead. And Roca believes the margin for error will keep getting lesser as the tournament progresses. “We let our guard down after getting a two-goal lead and we were almost made to pay for it. We’re happy we could come away with a win and take a lesson back with us on not letting things slip when we are in control. We’re going to have to be very cautious against DSK because one small lapse can affect how your tournament pans out,” said Roca.

DSK suffered a 4-0 defeat to Mohun Bagan in their Cup opener and while they would be keen on their first points in the tournament, the Dave Rogers-coached side will also look to set right their 7-0 defeat at the hands of the Blues only a fortnight ago in the League.

“We cannot ride on the fact that we beat DSK by a heavy margin. I said in the press conference after that game that while the result was good, it’s not one that we will be talking about the next day. The slate is clean on Wednesday and we will have to earn our points.”

The Blues suffered a minor blip when John Johnson had to be substituted at the start of the second half with a thigh injury and Roca said he is in constant touch with the medical team with updates before he decides if the English defender will take the pitch against DSK or not. Goalkeeper Amrinder Singh who sat out of the win over Lajong with fever will also be a late decision for selection.

Roca will have a lot of positives to take back from the win against Lajong. Midfielder Eugeneson Lyngdoh seems to be getting better with every passing game while Udanta Singh has forged a good understanding with Harmanjot Khabra down the right. 

The game kicks off at 4 pm and will be beamed live on the Ten 2 network.

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.

Bengauru return to winning ways against Minerva

AIFF Media 
Bengaluru FC Media  

Bengaluru FC broke a jinx, claiming their first win in over a month and a half as a Lenny Rodrigues header in the 17th minute gave them a 1-0 victory against Minerva Punjab FC at the Guru Nanak Stadium, in Ludhiana, on Sunday. The result marked Albert Roca’s first away win in charge of the Blues and sends them to fourth position with 16 points from 11 games.

The Blues shaped in a 4-4-2 where John Johnson returned to the centre of defence alongside Juan Gonzalez while Serbian striker Marjan Jugovic made his Bengaluru debut. And it didn’t take long for Johnson to show the kind of assuredness he brings with him, winning every aerial duel while giving Juan the freedom to join in attack. Nishu Kumar at left-back was a constant threat, taking on the Minerva defence bravely and giving enough reason for Bengaluru to throw numbers in the box in attack.

But in what was the most important ‘first’ on the day for Bengaluru, Lenny leaped high to nod home Cameron Watson’s take from the corner, a goal that marked his first since signing for the Blues in the summer.

Having learned well enough about the lack of assurance a one-goal lead has given them in the past, Bengaluru kept pressing for a second with Jugovic and CK Vineeth working hard together on a pitch that didn’t really help the cause. Jhingan saw a header from a corner bounce inches wide in the 40th minute as Bengaluru could take just the goal to the dressing room at half time.

In a second half that saw a better-adjusted Bengaluru side, Udanta Singh had a shot saved in the 49th minute before Jugovic saw his looping header float inches high of the Minerva crossbar. Looking to keep things tight and close the game, Roca threw in Harmanjot Khabra for Jugovic and Daniel Lalhlimpuia for CK Vineeth.

Lalhlimpuia had more than a few efforts to double the Blues’ lead, combining well with the skipper, but lacking the finishing touch as the Blues settled for the one-nil win.

Bengaluru next face Chennai City FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, in Chennai, on Wednesday.

Bengaluru keen to turn corner with Minerva challenge

Bengaluru FC Media 
AIFF Media

Albert Roca said he was confident his Bengaluru FC side would dig deep and turn up with the goods as they begin a key month of football with a trip to Jalandhar to take on Minerva Punjab FC at the Guru Nanak Stadium, on Sunday. The Blues travel to Chennai next before hosting Mohun Bagan twice in a span of four days in the League and the AFC Cup and Roca felt that there was no better time than now to get what’s been a difficult season for Bengaluru, back on track.

“We can’t change results that have gone by. What we can do is work harder to make sure results ahead go our way. Minerva away from home will be a game that will require us to give everything if we are to change our fortunes. We play four games in nine days and it’s important that we start this phase well,” said Roca on the eve of the game.

Bringing some much-needed respite to a side that’s been hit with injury, a run of frustrating results and patches of poor form, is the return of John Johnson to the squad. The central defender, who has missed four games this season owing to a rib injury, has made the trip and could start alongside Juan Gonzalez.

Also grabbing focus will be new striker Marjan Jugovic who has put in a few training sessions with the team and it remains to be seen whether or not Roca chooses to start with the Serbian.

“It’s good to have John back in the squad as he’s always been a positive influence on the team and is one of the voices on the pitch and I’m certain he will have a key role to play tomorrow. We’re also glad to have Marjan who has showed more than just glimpses of his experience, in training. These inclusions give the squad the kind of strength we need at the moment,” said Roca.

The pitch conditions at the Guru Nanak Stadium haven’t been the best and Roca voiced his concern while admitting that his side would have to find a way around it. “I hope everyone realises that a pitch like this is bad for the show. They are the home team and will have a better understanding of the surface. So, it’s up to us to adapt as quickly as possible.”


Minerva put behind a shaky start to the League, steadied things and are now on an unbeaten run of six games. The side from Punjab managed to snatch a very lucky point when they came to the Fortress in February. A stray cross caught the foot of Sandesh Jhingan before looping over a wrong-footed Amrinder Singh in a game that Bengaluru dominated completely.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 04:30 PM and it’ll be aired live on Ten 2.

Bengaluru look to hurl on disorganized East Bengal

AIFF Media 
JSW Media

In a fight between the arch-rivals from Bangalore and Kolkata in Hero I-League, reigning champions Bengaluru FC take on the table-topper Kingfisher East Bengal tomorrow at the Shree Kanterava Stadium.

Though Bengaluru have defeated the Red & Golds at home convincingly in past two seasons, they have tasted a 1-2 defeat in their away game this season.

In what may be termed as a mid-season slump, which seems to be far from over, the Blues are winless in last 6 rounds, and yet to win an away match.

East Bengal’s recent drop in form after six consecutive wins witnessed them picking only 2 points from last three matches. Their woe compounded when they lost the previous match to Aizawl FC. East Bengal still manage to stay at the top with a better goal difference than Mohun Bagan, the later, having played a match less.

Talking to the media, Bengaluru FC coach Roca termed it as a tough game, “We have a lot of positives from the last three games, the way we have played, creating more chances, we were on our way to winning, unfortunately, we were not so lucky!”

More than a month ago, Bengaluru’s fall started against the same team, which coach terms as ‘Pain’.

“We expect East Bengal coming hard on us. From three bad results, I am sure even for them this is an important game.” said the Spaniard.

Goals have eluded Bengaluru and Roca is wary of this, “It (goal) is the most important thing in football, we are creating chances but not efficient enough to score a goal, we are working on it.”

The visitors will be without their injured striker Willis Plaza and Didika Ralte, who is out owing to the automatic yellow card suspension. Bengaluru will go out without John Johnson.

East Bengal Coach, Trevor James Morgan realizes a ‘tough game’ is awaiting his troop. “Bengaluru is a good side with good players. I think we have to we have to perform well and get a result.

He added, “We are quite disappointed with the last two games we played against Shillong Lajong and Aizawl FC. We need to start winning and tomorrow’s game will be a tough one!”

As Harmanjot Singh Khabra set to cut loose against his former teammates tomorrow, so is Robin Singh who’s gearing up to take on Sunils and Eugenes, his ex-co-players.

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

Bengaluru pressing for turnaround as Mumbai FC stand in way

Bengaluru FC Media

Albert Roca said he hoped for a drastic change in luck to compliment the kind of football Bengaluru FC have been playing as the Blues take on Mumbai FC at the Cooperage, in Mumbai, on Saturday. Winless in five games now, Bengaluru FC have often found themselves on the short end of fortune to share points in games they should have comfortably won.

“It’s frustrating for sure to control large parts of the game and then come away with a point. But that’s football and like I have been saying, it’s important to keep any negativity away. We back the kind of quality we have and we will need to show it against Mumbai,” he said.

Bengaluru come into this game on the back of three straight draws and the Sunil Chhetri-led side will have to be more clinical with the chances they have been creating in attack if the trend has to be bucked.

The game also marks the first of the reverse legs for the Blues this season. CK Vineeth scored the first hat-trick in the club’s history when Mumbai came to the Kanteerava in January and Bengaluru will hope the striker, who hasn’t scored since then, finds form in front of goal.

Mumbai, meanwhile, are struggling with a winless streak of their own, having gone on to lose five straight games after the 3-0 defeat in Bengaluru. The Santosh Kashyap-coached side picked their first points since then after playing out a goalless draw against Mohun Bagan on Wednesday and find themselves above only Churchill Brothers on the points table.

But much has changed for Mumbai in terms of their squad since they last played Bengaluru. Four foreign singings in Densill Theobald, Djelaludin Sharityar, Alex Willian and Anderson da Silva have joined Kashyap and showed in glimpses against Bagan what they bring to the side.

“Like us, Mumbai too have been chasing a win for some time now and that is what makes them dangerous. They have even added four foreigners who look experienced and that changes a lot from the last time we played them,” said Roca.

In what is surely some respite for Roca, who has missed key players owing to injury and suspensions, central defender Juan Gonzalez has made the trip to Mumbai having served his two-game ban and will add some much needed strength to a Blues defence that has had a few weak moments in the recent past. John Johnson, however, continues his rehabilitation after fracturing a rib and will miss out on Saturday.

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

Bengaluru face Aizawl FC tomorow

Bengaluru FC Media 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bengaluru confident of good show against Minerva

AIFF Media 
Bengalru FC Media 

In an important Round 7 match of the Hero I-League, Bengaluru FC take on new comer Minerva Punjab FC tomorrow evening at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bangalore.  

The hosts are going through a mid-season slump. They are back home after a tough away journey where they failed to register single a win in three games. Minerva Punjab is coming with a morale-boosting win and draw back home. 

Interestingly, both teams locked horns few days back in the semifinal of the U-16 Youth League, where the team from Punjab got the better of Bengaluru. The later look to turn the table this time around. 

Talking to the media, Bengaluru coach Roca agreed his team is down for now, but fortunate that this has happened at an early stage, so there is enough time to retrieve, and come back in title contention. 

“We need to keep fighting because that’s the first thing we need to do. It is all about mentality and positive attitude and we’re prepared for the game. We’re eager to win!” stated the Spaniard. 

The Steelmen received a jolt in the absence of central defender duo, John Johnson and Juanan, who are out for tomorrow’s match owing to suspension by the AIFF disciplinary committee after their away game against Churchill Brothers. 

“I’m confident about the players who will be there tomorrow on the pitch, we’ve have to face the situation, which at present might not be in our favor. We have to be there and try to do our best!” remarked Roca. 

BFC is yet to find a replacement for Roby Norales, who after having a stint with the Blues was loaned out to Ozone FC. He is currently doing duty in I-League Second Division. Roca is hopeful about getting the fourth foreigners slot filled next week. 

Must be a big match tomorrow for the team from North. After collecting a point in their away first game against Chennai City FC, they were pointless in next three (away) rounds. Team has just gathered momentum after a draw and a win. 

Minerva coach, Surinder Singh said, “Team is doing well and they are slowly coming together, we are looking for a positive result.” 

“Even a draw would do for us, considering this is our away match. Something is always better than nothing” quipped coach, who believes in taking each match at a time. 

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

Chasing the AFC Cup glory, Bengaluru ready for battle against Air Force Club

Bengaluru FC Media 

It’s been billed as the game that could be the start a revolution for one country and the resurrection of another as JSW Bengaluru FC take on Iraq’s Air Force Club in the final of the AFC Cup to be played at Doha’s Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium, today evening. 

After a year of battle that has seen 36 of the top clubs from the continent go head-to-head, the Blues and Air Force Club are the last teams standing in what is a first appearance in the final of an Asian competition for both sides. 

“We’re up against a strong team but it would mean a lot for Indian football if we won the title. That’s a prospect that excites us and will drive us tomorrow. They have scored many goals, have a striker that’s regularly scoring and are physically strong but I’ve told our boys to be ready for battle and we will hope our work ethic gives us a good result,” said BFC coach Albert Roca while addressing the press on the eve of the game. 

Much of the pre-game focus has been on Lalthuammawia Ralte, the Bengaluru ‘keeper who will be playing his first competitive game since turning out for the Blues in a 5-3 home win against Ayeyawady United in the group stages in April this year. Ralte comes in for first-choice Amrinder Singh who misses the big game owing to a suspension. But Roca sounded confident of the shot-stopper from Mizoram who was brilliant in the Blues’ Federation Cup-winning season. “Mawia is a good goalkeeper who has been pushing Amrinder to do well consistently and though he has not featured much this season, he has been a thorough professional at training, which is why we are not the least bit worried about this situation,” he said. 

Suspensions have also hit Air Force who will be without influential midfielder Bashar Rasan Bonyan and defender Samal Saeed. Bonyan picked up a straight red after scoring a brace in Air Force’s 3-2 win over Al-Ahed in the second leg of the semifinal. 

Bengaluru will look to fall back on some inspired performances through their campaign that saw the Blues oust defending champion Johor Darul Ta’zim in the semifinal (4-2) as they come up against a side that has lost just one game in the tournament. The club from Iraq will turn to their talismanic striker Hammadi Ahmad who, with 15 goals from 11 games, is the tournament’s leading goal scorer. 

Roca has a fully fit squad to choose from with the exception of Australian midfielder Cameron Watson who is down with a stomach bug. “Cameron’s been down with a stomach ache but we’re doing all we can to make sure he’s ready for the game,” said Roca.

The Blues are likely to find good support in the stands on Saturday given the large presence of the Indian community in Doha, something Roca said his boys would welcome. “We’ve met so many Indian people since we’ve come here and they have all promised to come out in numbers and back us which is wonderful for the boys.” The game kicks off at 9.30 pm IST and will be telecast live on Star Sports 1 and Star HD 1. 

Bengaluru braced for Tampines fight with semis berth at stake

Bengaluru FC Media 

Albert Roca said his side would not be making much of their one goal advantage as he expects Tampines Rovers to come all guns blazing at Bengaluru FC when the two teams clash at the Jalan Besar Stadium, in Singapore, on Wednesday with a place in the semifinal of the AFC Cup at stake.

The Blues traveled to Singapore on the back of a CK Vineeth goal in the first leg of the quarterfinal last week to give Roca’s side a slight edge. But the Spaniard believes Bengaluru have their task cut out. “The second leg is always a big challenge. It isn’t going to be easy given we have only the one goal to show for and Tampines will look to make things difficult in a bid to reverse the situation. But we have to be prepared for that,” said Roca while addressing the press in the team hotel, on Tuesday.

In what was the club’s first competitive game since winning the League in May, Bengaluru put on a fluent display at the Kanteerava last week, leaving Tampines to do the chasing for most of the game. In fact the Blues created enough chances to kill the tie at home but for some wasteful finishing which gives both sides everything to play for on Wednesday.

“I am happy because after six weeks we have tried to create a new style of play, which is not easy. We have good players and they have been really involved in trying to adapt to the new concepts. The players have shown in the first leg that they can adjust to the new style of play and I hope they can do the same here in Singapore,” said the Spaniard.

Meanwhile Tampines coach, Akbar Nawas said his side would be under pressure but urged his squad to give a good account of themselves. “The pressure is always there, no matter how much we say it isn’t. We need to step things up from the start and should not make the mistake of taking Bengaluru lightly,” he said. History too isn’t making things easier on the hosts who attempt to be the first side from Singapore to make the last four of AFC Cup since 2004.

The Blues landed in the country on Sunday and put in a session at the Jalan Besar on Monday. Much has been made about the rather hard surface at the Stadium but Roca chose to play it down when asked whether the pitch would have a role to play. “The surface is the same for both teams so there will be no excuses. We will have to adapt as quickly as possible. The climate is a little too humid for our liking but we have players experienced enough to manage the situation.”  

Ozone win friendly against Bengaluru FC

In a friendly played between the top two teams from the Garden City on Sunday morning, Ozone FC got the better of Bengaluru FC by one goal. Satish Kumar scored a brilliant goal from an Anto Xavier assist. 

With Bengaluru FC scheduled to play AFC Cup Quarterfinal against Tampins Rovers on September 14, they too wanted to get some good match practice. Over past few weeks the Steelmen played friendlies against couple of Army teams and DSK Shivajians. 
Albert Roca  fielded a full-strength team with captain Chhetri, medio Eugenseon, and three foreigners John Johnson, Álvaro Rubio, and Cameron Watson. 

Ozone have built a strong team this season. They’ve strengthened their squad with several I-League players with World Cupper Cornell Glenn scheduled to join in few weeks’ time. 


Starting lineup 

Ozone FCB: Nikhil, Collin, Shrikant, Chika Wali, Vivek, Dhanachandra, Arun, Vignesh, Anto Xavier, Satish Kumar, Sabeeth. Subs prateek, Vignesh, Sam, Pradeep 

Bengaluru FC: Lalthuammawia, Rino Anto, Fanai, John Johnson, Guru, Alwyn George, Álvaro Rubio, Cameron Watson, Eugeneson, Sunil Chhetri, Daniel Lalhlimpuia 

Bengaluru sign two Spanish players, complete foreigner slots

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC announced the signing of Spaniards Alvaro Rubio and Juan Gonzalez as coach Albert Roca completed his roster of foreigners for the Blues this season.

Rubio (37) is a highly-experienced midfielder who spent ten seasons at Spanish club Real Valladolid (2006-2016) during which he played close to 300 games and captained the side that kept shuffling between La Liga and Segunda Division. Gonzalez (29), meanwhile, is a defender who spent two seasons each with the B teams of Deportivo and Real Madrid before moving to German club Fortuna Dusseldorf where he spent three seasons – one in the Bundesliga and two in the second division. He last played for Amercian side Rayo OKC. 

The duo complete Bengaluru’s set of four foreigners after the club announced it had signed Australian midfielder Cameron Watson on Saturday. Watson, Rubio and Gonzalez arrived in the city on Sunday and took part in a session with the team on Monday morning.

While Gonzalez has signed a contract that keeps him with the Blues till the end of the season, Rubio’s term lasts till the end of the year.

“I am happy to have signed for Bengaluru FC. We trained with the team today and everyone is very welcoming. The aim is to try and understand the systems as soon as possible and I would like to use my experience to help the team to success,” said Rubio who also has appearances for the 
Spanish national U-20 and U-21 sides.

Gonzalez, who even had a stint with Hungarian club Ujpest FC said he was keen to settle in soon. “I’ve come here to experience something new and I’m confident I will be able to contribute to the team’s success. I’ve left my family back home and that is tough but I’m here to do a job and do it well,” said the towering defender who stands at 1.92 meters.

Roca was confident of the kind of edge the two players would give to the squad. "Alvaro and Juan bring with them valuable experience of playing at the top level. They have played with and competed against some of the best players in world football and I have little doubt that they will give the team an advantage. They are good professionals and team players and will strengthen the squad before what is a crucial set of AFC Cup games,” he said.

John Johnson signs two-year deal, to stay with Bengaluru till 2017-18 season

Bengaluru FC Media

Bengaluru FC have signed defensive mainstay John Johnson on a new two-year deal that keeps with the champions of India till the end of the 2017-18 season, the club announced on Monday.

Johnson had signed with the Blues since the club’s inception before going on to spend three seasons during which he won two I-League titles and one Federation Cup crown with BFC. He was named the League’s ‘Best Defender’ for the 2015-16 last month as the Blues put behind the disappointment of being edged out by Mohun Bagan in the 2014-15 season at the death to bring back the title to Bengaluru.

“John Johnson has been immense for the club and has been the kind of leader who doesn’t need an armband. We are at a very crucial phase at the club and getting him on board for another two seasons puts us in a very good position. He’s always inspiring the lads on the pitch and is a great character to have in the dressing room, needless to say he’s a fan favourite,” said Mustafa Ghouse, COO, Bengaluru FC.

Ever since his first season in India, Johnson has been on the radar of a fair number of clubs but the No.6 said signing a new deal with the Blues was one of the easier choices he’s made. “I’m delighted to have signed a new contract. Bengaluru FC is home to me. I’ve enjoyed every minute of the three seasons that I’ve spent here and I still feel I have a lot more to offer and achieve with this team. I’ve personally enjoyed great support from the fans and it’s nice to know I will be seeing them again. It’s going to be an important season ahead and I’m already looking forward to it,” said Johnson.       

Title race goes down to the wire as Bengaluru FC take on East Bengal in an enthralling tie tomorrow

I-League Media
Bengaluru FC Media  

In an important Round 16 fixture of the Hero I-League, title contenders from the Garden City Bengaluru FC will be meeting Kingfisher East Bengal at their Fortress tomorrow. Having played equal number of matches, the team from Kolkata is currently ranked third in the points table, only two points behind Bengaluru. 

Hero I-League has never been so interesting as it's a two-team title race now between Bengaluru FC and Kingfisher East Bengal after Mohun Bagan's 3-3 draw with DSK Shivajians tonight. 

Bengaluru is back home after a 1-1 away draw against DSK Shivajians. However, the result didn’t perturbed much gaffer Ashley Westwood, who reckon the latter is a much improved side having unbeaten in last 5 games. 

The only worry for gaffer is the backbone in defense, John Johnson’s absence for tomorrow’s match. The former Middleborough central defender sits out tomorrow due to yellow card suspension. 

Johnson’s partner, Curtis Osano, who too is on three yellow cards will start the game with a new partner. Having played against the likes of Ranty Martins and co. in last few seasons, he no pushover. 

Other than the Shankar Sampangiraj’s injury, who’s out for the rest of the season, Bengaluru have no other injury problems.

Ashley looked calm, he said, “Tomorrow’s match will not decide the title, we can still do with one draw and two win in the remaining three rounds.” 

Result of East Bengal in last five rounds read two away loss and a win, then a morale boosting derby win and a disappointing home draw. East Bengal might not have set the combination right yet they are in the champion’s race. 

For Kingfisher East Bengal coach and former India international Biswajeet Bhattacharya, it is a must win game to stay in title contention.

“Tomorrow’s game is important game for both teams, Bengaluru FC is a good team, they are in good position, and we are also in the run. We are very serious, we believe in our boys, and we have to go for a win”, said East Bengal coach. 

Biswajeet further added about his team’s late upsurge, “Football is full of surprises, you win some you lose some. When we met Bengaluru at home in Round 5, we were seven points behind and in round 9 and 10 we were trailing by five points. If you see now (Round 16), we are just two points less, and it can be anybody’s game tomorrow. 

The latest news from East Bengal camp is that their central defender. Arnab Mondal will be serving two-match suspension, he can’t play tomorrow. 

That might prompt Biswajeet to field experienced Deepak Mondal against Bengaluru. Mondal, a 1998 Tata Football Academy product, the mainstay in defense is playing his 16th season in I-League/National Football League uninterrupted. 

Deepak accompanied his coach in the pre-match press conference today. 

Asking how long he would be playing at the top level, Deepak answered cheekily, “If I am fit, I will keep going. Most important for me is to get a platform to perform, if I get a club like this, I can play for few more seasons." 

Despite of having talented players in their rooster, East Bengal could not strike a right combination thus far, yet on the positive side they are still in the title race. 

The match will be played tomorrow at 7:05 PM, Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Bengaluru FC take on tough Sporting Clube Goa

Bengaluru FC Media

Bengaluru FC begin a slew of vital away games over the next two weeks with a trip to Goa where they take on bottom-placed Sporting Clube de Goa at the Fatorda Stadium, on Saturday. The Blues, who travel to play Mumbai FC (March 3) and Indonesian side Persipura Jayapura (March 10), will be keen to start the challenging schedule on the right note against a side that's yet to register a win in the League.

Ashley Westwood’s team put aside the disappointment of a 1-4 League defeat at Mohun Bagan to give Bengaluru their first win in Asian football – a 2-1 result over Maldivian side Maziya S&RC at the Kanteerava Stadium, on Tuesday. Shankar Sampingiraj scored a dramatic injury-time winner after Sunil Chhetri scored his second goal in as many games in a victory that Bengaluru will look to use as a springboard.

Though Bengaluru enjoy a 3-0 record over Sporting across competitions, the Blues will be wary of the Goa club who will throw all they have in pursuit of their first win in the League this season. “Sporting Clube are a good side and capable of producing good performances as we saw in the 1-1 draw they had against Pune. Despite being a goal down, they clawed back into the game and for the last half hour, looked like the team that deserved the win. They have good foreigners among their ranks and though their position on the table isn’t the best, we know we will have to churn out a good performance to get something out of this game,” said Westwood on the eve of the game.

The Fatorda has been a happy hunting ground for the Blues who lifted the I-League and Federation Cup titles with wins at the Stadium and are yet to lose a game here.  In fact, the last time the two teams met was at the same venue in the semifinal of the Federation Cup where Bengaluru came away with a 3-0 result.

On the injury front, Bengaluru seem to be without much worry. Sean Rooney, who missed a couple of games with a sore groin, made an appearance as a substitute in the AFC Cup win that also saw the return of Lalchhuanmawia and Rino Anto.  A call on midfielder Joshua Walker, who limped out of the same game with a thigh strain, will be taken by Westwood on Saturday morning. 

File Pic

Gaffer Westwood and central back duo Johnson and Osano sign 2-year deal Bengaluru FC

BFC Media

Bengaluru FC head coach Ashley Westwood and the central defensive pair of John Johnson and Curtis Osano have all signed extensions to their existing deals that will keep them with the I-League champions till the end of the 2015-16 season, the club announced on Tuesday. 

“I am delighted and proud to be signing an extension of two years with the club and excited to carry on the dream and vision of the owners in making Bengaluru FC unique in Indian football. This club was all about long-term planning and I’m looking forward to the next chapter and trying to defend the title,” said Westwood. 

The Englishman was the focus of praise from all quarters last season when he guided Bengaluru FC to the I-League title on debut in stunning fashion, finishing four points above East Bengal. Club COO Mustafa Ghouse expressed his delight at the new deals. “We are very excited and pleased on extending Ashley’s contract with BFC. We have a very ambitious vision for the club and feel Ashley is the right person to drive it ahead. His work ethic and dedication toward the club and our dream is unparalleled.” 

Joining the gaffer with extensions are Johnson and Osano who have, by far, been the most reliable central defensive pair in the League last season. “I am delighted to have signed this new deal. It’s been a brilliant last season and I cannot wait to get back and start the new season. The club has been brilliant to me from day one and I hope to repay the Bengaluru FC and its fans with more success in the coming years,” said Johnson. 

The usually soft-spoken Osano said he was “over the moon and really excited” about signing the extension. “Since day one I was committed to Ashley and the club. It’s a great feeling to be wanted by a winning and efficient team.”

The duo had been linked to a few clubs at the end of the season but the signing of the extension has quelled all the rumours. “We at BFC are very excited by the fact that the two pillars of our champion team have agreed to sign an extension with the club. Both John and Curtis are an integral part of our team and philosophy and will continue to play a major role in the years ahead,” said Bengaluru FC CEO, Parth Jindal.