Bengaluru Colts begin Puttaiah Cup campaign with 5-0 win

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC begin their Puttaiah Memorial Cup campaign with a 5-0 victory over Kodagu FC, at the Bangalore Football Stadium, on Thursday. Akashdeep Singh (34’, 47’), Thoi Singh (53’), Lalhmingchhuanga (81’) and Edwin Rosario (86’) were on target for the Blue Colts.

It was a cagey first half with both teams struggling to create chances early on, but the Blue Colts broke the deadlock through Akashdeep with ten minutes left to the break. Shighil’s darting run down the wing saw him find empty space to put in a low cross for the forward, who smashed with power beyond the goalkeeper’s reach to make it 1-0.

The chances kept coming from there, but the referee blew the whistle for half-time before Bengaluru could double their lead. Into the second half, the Blue Colts ran riot, scoring from kick-off courtesy of Akashdeep once again. The forward picked up a cross from Thoi and slotted it beyond the ‘keepers reach.

Sudheer Kotikala, who made his debut in Blue set up BFC’s third of the evening. The forwards’ cross found Thoi in space and the winger capitalised with a smart finish from close range. 

Robin Yadav was brought down in the box late into the game and Lalhmingchhuanga stepped up to the occasion and struck it with power into the top left corner to make it four. With four minutes left on the clock, the goalkeeper split the ball and Edwin was there to tap it into an empty net. 

The Blue Colts face Roots FC next, on Saturday, at the same venue. 

 

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

Bengaluru FC Media 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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