Bengaluru replace injured Walker with Michael Collins

Bengaluru FC Media

Bengaluru FC, on Wednesday, announced that the club would be replacing injured midfielder Joshua Walker with fellow Englishman and midfielder Michael Collins. Walker, who missed the first two games of the season with a knee issue, faces a long enough layoff to keep him out for the rest of the season, prompting Ashley Westwood to ring in the change.

“It’s under unfortunate circumstances that we have to replace Josh with another player but this is a short, congested season which means we had to move quickly. We’ve done our due diligence on Michael and I’ve spoken with former coaches, players and current scouts on the basis of which I’ve made my choice. Michael has more than 300 games in English football under his belt, is a good character and will be a good example of a professional to everyone around,” said Westwood.

Twenty-nine-year-old Collins started his career with Huddersfield Town with whom he spent six seasons, playing a 173 times and scoring 19 goals. His second substantial spell was with current League One team Scunthorpe United where he played 79 games before moves to AFC Wimbledon (loan), Oxford United and York City (loan).

Interestingly, Walker and Collins have been teammates at Scunthorpe and the duo have been exchanging notes. “I’m very excited to start this chapter of my career. I got a call from the gaffer who gave me a lowdown about the League and more after which I had a word with my family and decided that this is the right time in my career to try something new. I’ve even been speaking with Josh who keeps filling me in,” said Collins who hails from Halifax.

Collins is slated to arrive in the country over the coming week, ruling him out of the Blues first home game against Shillong Lajong on Sunday. “There’s no time to settle in and I’m going to have to blend in right away. But I don’t think that should be a worry because I’ve been keeping myself fit. I can’t wait to come over and play my part in helping the club win the League,” said Collins who has 6 caps for the Republic of Ireland at the under-21 level.

While Walker has been replaced and de-registered from the I-League, he continues to be a Bengaluru FC player. “It’s unfortunate what happened with Josh Walker but it’s a call that had to be taken. However, he still remains a Bengaluru FC player and we wish him a speedy recovery. He was brilliant for us last season and had a big hand in the successful season the club produced. We will be working with him closely to see him recover to full fitness at the earliest,” said Mustafa Ghouse, COO of Bengaluru FC.

Bengaluru thrash Sporting Clube, keep undefeated record intact

AIFF and Bengaluru FC Media

Joshua Walker, Rino Anto, Thoi Singh, and Beikhokhei scored goal apiece to keep Bengaluru FC undefeated against Sporting Clube de Goa.   

Sporting kicked-off the game from left to right, they looked keen for an early breakthrough through their comeback man Odafe Okolie. 

Bengaluru FC missed the services of midfielder duo - Siam Hanghal and local lad Shankar Sampingiraj, away with the India Under-23 team playing the AFC Championship. The only Karnataka connection in both the starting eleven was in Hubballi boy, left full back of Sporting Chinta Chandrashekar Rao, who had a fairly decent outing. 

Disaster struck Sporting in the 22nd minute when skipper Anthony Wolfe tumbled and fell on his left shoulder along with Curtis Osano. He was stretchered out of the ground and replaced by Marcus Masceranhas. 

The much awaited goal came in the 32’ minute from a sublime freekick from super consistent Eugenson Lyngdoh which Joshua Walker headed to perfection. 

Crowd witnessed glimpse of vintage Odafe in the first half, he flummoxed Bengaluru defense only to find keeper Lalthuammawia Ralte with several brilliant saves. 

After changing ends, Bengaluru made their intentions clear, kept attacking from the right flank, which Sporting failed to plug. Another attack from the right flank, build around Sean Rooney, right full back Rino Anto came from behind, attacked the ball and put calmly to the goal. 

Thoi Singh and Beikhokhei joined the goal scoring party in the 60th and 80th minute of the game. 

Sporting Clube reduced the margin 82nd minute through Victorino Fernandes. The travelling ball on goal was not cleared to perfection by John Johnson that ultimately ended at the back of his own team’s net.

Keeper Lalthuammawia Ralte was awarded the played of the match. 

Walker penalty sees Bengaluru FC through

Bengaluru FC Media 

A first-half penalty by Joshua Walker was enough to see off Singapore club Warriors FC as the Blues garnered an important 1-0 win in an AFC Cup Group E game at the Kanteerava Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Tuesday. Bengaluru’s second win in three games takes them to six points and keeps their chase of qualifying for the pre-quarterfinal stage, firmly on track. 

With as many as four key players away on national duty, Walker stepped up and shouldered much of the added responsibility, constantly being involved in attacks and defending stubbornly when the need arose. But as influential as Walker was the performance by goalkeeper Lalthuammawia Ralte who had a solid day in goal, pulling off a couple of splendid saves to make sure the slender lead didn’t prove to be a disadvantage. 

The goal came in the 36th minute after CK Vineeth was hauled down by Daniel Bennett in the box prompting referee Ho Wai Sing to point to the spot. Walker walked up and struck a firm shot past ’keeper Ong Daniel’s right to give the Blues a lead they would comfortably protect till full time. 

Reinforced with the return of Siam Hanghal and Shankar Sampingiraj who were away at the India Under-23 camp in Goa, Westwood handed the duo starts in the midfield while CK Vineeth got the nod down the left. The game got off to a rather slow start with both teams cautious of giving conceding an early goal.

Slowly picking pace, the encounter saw its first effort as Vineeth found himself unmarked in the penalty area. But, his shot from close range was ruled offside before a free-kick from Warriors midfielder Mohamed Rahim was tipped over the bar by Bengaluru ’keeper Lalthuammawia Ralte. Heading into the break and holding the slender advantage, Bengaluru began passing the ball around with more purpose as the visitors chased the goal they needed to keep them alive. Warriors did get their chance when Argentinian striker Nicolas Velez smashed a shot in the 63rd minute that drew a solid save from Ralte who did everything right on the day.

Bengaluru’s next AFC Cup fixture takes them to Singapore on April 14 for the reverse leg against Warriors who, with three losses in as many games, will look to set things right at home.  

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

Bengaluru FC set for big night in Asia

Bengaluru FC Media

Bengaluru FC will add a key chapter to their little but event-filled history when the Blues take on Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim in the AFC Champions League preliminary qualifier to be played at the Larkin Stadium, in Johor, Malaysia, on Wednesday.

Ashley Westwood’s League and Federation Cup champions take the field at 6.15 pm IST for what is arguably their biggest night yet and the gaffer has said his boys are keen on giving a good account of themselves on the Asian stage. The Blues had embarked on a pre-season tour to China earlier this season with an eye on the Asian challenges this campaign. The odds are heavily stacked against Bengaluru who also have 18,000 Johor fans spurring their side on, to deal with.

“On the day anything can happen. We'll go into the game and apply ourselves correctly which is our framework and see where it takes us. You can't be overconfident in football. We are hopeful. We are looking forward to our experience in Asian Football,” said Westwood at the pre-game press conference on Tuesday.

After a rather indifferent start to their title defence, Bengaluru’s last game was a big 0-4 win away from home to leaders Royal Wahingdoh and the result has done the Blues’ confidence a fair amount of good. But Westwood isn’t making too much of it with relation to the challenge in Johor.

“The morale in the camp is good. We've come here on the back of a 4-0 victory which stands us in good stead. But this is football and change is regular. We don't look at anything into the past and we're looking forward to a good match. Hopefully we can do ourselves some justice and look what we can bring to the table. They are a good side with some quality players. It will be a difficult as they are the champion side.”

Johor, on their part, began their own title defence of the Malaysia Super League with a 2-0 win over Pahang last week and while coach Bojan Hodak admitted that playing at home will work for them, he wasn't willing to write the tie off as a cakewalk. “Of course, we are playing at home and I have always said that if you are playing at home, no matter who you are up against, you are always favourites. But it's going to be a tough match. Bengaluru are a good, organised and physical team. We have seen a few of their videos. The good thing is that we beat Pahang FC and the spirit in the camp is good,” he said.

Hodak said Johor would be without Argentine striker Luciano Figueroa who picked up an injury and the coach wasn't willing to take a gamble on him. Westwood, meanwhile, has a completely fit squad to pick from. A win on Wednesday would see Bengaluru travel to play Bangkok Glass in their bid to move closer to the league stages of Asia's premier club competition.

Medio Joshua Walker trains at the Larkin Stadium 

Bengaluru FC sign former English U-20 captain and EPL player Josh Walker

BFC Media  

Bengaluru FC, on Monday, named English midfielder Joshua Walker as their marquee signing for the coming season. Walker’s credentials include captaining the national team’s under-16, 17 and 20 sides, turning out for Middlesbrough in the English Premier League and scoring against Bayern Munich in a UEFA Cup Round of 32 game while on loan with Scottish Premier League side Aberdeen in 2008. He was also skipper of the England team in their under-20 World Cup campaign in 2009. The club have signed him on a one-year deal. 

The big catch in Walker means Bengaluru FC have completed their list of the stipulated four foreigners for the season after striker Sean Rooney and the central defensive pair of John Johnson and  Curtis Osano signed new deals with the I-League champions. 

“I am very excited to start this chapter of my career with the champions of India. I’ve been with John Johnson at Middlesbrough and he has only nice things to say about his stint with Bengaluru FC. I am also looking forward to play under Ashley Westwood. I cannot wait to get there and play in front of the amazing fans of the club of whom I have heard much about,” said Walker.
Walker began his career at Middlesbrough where he progressed through the youth system before making his first-team debut for the club in 2006. His four-year spell at Middlesbrough included loan spells to Bournemouth, Northampton Town, Rotherham United and Aberdeen. 

Walker spent last season with Conference Premier team Gateshead for whom he scored 5 times in 30 appearances.  

Bengaluru FC coach Ashley Westwood said he was pleased with the club’s latest acquisition and that he had no doubt about the impact Walker would have in the team’s title defence. “Joshua is a talented player, comfortable with both feet and has a great attitude. He will fit in seamlessly into our scheme of things. There’s a fair number of clubs in England that were chasing his signature and it says a lot that we, at Bengaluru FC, have made him our player. Getting him also means we have been able to abide by the AIFF’s rule of signing a marquee player,” said Westwood.