Bengaluru round off AFC Cup campaign with 6-2 win over Maziya

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC’s frontmen had a field day at the National Stadium in Male, as Marco Pezzaiuoli’s side ended their AFC Cup campaign with a 6-2 win over Maziya S&RC, on Tuesday. Udanta Singh, Cleiton Silva and Leon Augustine scored first half goals, before strikes from substitutes Sivasakthi Narayanan and Bidyashagar Singh’s brace kept the Blues’ lead intact after Hamza Mohamed and Asadhulla Abdulla had pulled two back for the hosts. 

Earlier, Pezzaiuoli made five changes to the team that was held to a goalless draw by Bashundhara Kings, handing starts to Sarthak Golui, Pratik Chaudhari, Rohit Kumar, Udanta and Leon, while goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu captained the side in the absence of Sunil Chhetri. On the other bench, Risto Vidaković made three changes to the Maziya team that lost to ATK Mohun Bagan.

The Blues started the game on the front foot and broke the deadlock just six minutes from kick-off when Sarthak and Leon combined down the right flank. The eventual cross from the Bengaluru right-back found Udanta arriving in the box, and the winger made no mistake in burying his header to put Bengaluru 1-0 up.

Only moments later, Pezzaiuoli’s men were knocking on the Maziya door again, through Udanta and then Leon. Rane’s attempted cross for Udanta was a yard ahead of him before Udanta’s cross found Leon, but the latter skewed his shot wide.

The Blues scored their second goal in fortuitous circumstances when Brazilian striker Cleiton Silva poked the ball home in the 19th minute. Attempting to collect a long punt, Maziya ’keeper Shareef misjudged the flight of the ball and Silva chased the ball down and scored from close range, past the reach of Shareef. Silva would put the ball in the back of the net once again on the half hour mark, only for the assistant to raise his flag for offside.

Maziya were forced into a change when Shareef was stretchered off and substitute custodian Mamatkhonov Mirzokhid was called into action. Mirzokhid’s first involvement saw him pick the ball from the back of the net, when Leon managed to beat the offside trap and slot home through  the Uzbek ’keeper’s legs to make it 3-0. 

Leon came close to scoring his second of the game on the other side of the break, but Mirzokhid was well positioned to save his effort. Jesus Blanco was alert to make two crucial blocks right after, from Jayesh and Suresh, to deny the Blues a fourth.

Pezzaiuoli rang in the first of his five changes when Danish Farooq replaced Rohit Kumar, and made further substitutions later, sending on Ajay Chhetri, Bidyashagar Singh and Sivasakthi Narayanan. Maziya pulled one back in the 67th minute through Hamza, who beat the offside trap and slotted home past Pratik’s attempted tackle and Gurpreet’s stretch to make it 3-1. However, the Blues responded just three minutes later, as Sivasakthi latched onto a cross from Udanta with a neat touch and finish, for his first goal in Bengaluru colours.

Maziya reduced the deficit once again in the 80th minute, against the run of play, when Abdulla latched onto a pass from Mohamed and slotted home from close range. Udanta had a late chance to add to his exploits, but having controlled well and cut in on his left, his finish was found wanting. Keen to get in on the act, substitute Bidyashagar scored twice in seven minutes, both times from close range, to put the game beyond the reach of Vidakovic’s men. 

The result confirmed a third place finish for Bengaluru, who ended their Group D campaign with four points from three games. The Blues are in action next at the 130th edition of the Durand Cup, having confirmed their participation in the tournament that’s set to take place in Kolkata, in September.

Bengaluru to conclude AFC Cup campaign with clash against Maziya S&RC

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC will look to end their AFC Cup campaign on a good note when they take on Maldivian side Maziya S&RC at the National Stadium, in Male, on Tuesday. Although both sides are out of the running for the knockout stages of the competition, there’s much to play for with a win potentially lifting the Blues to second place on the group, while defeat will mean a bottom-placed finish.

“It’s true that Maziya have played two games and lost both, but we need to respect them as a team. We need to focus on our style and do our best against them. From the game against Tribhuvan Army FC in April to the one against Bashundhara Kings on Saturday, we have made several steps forward. Ours is a young team and we are looking to progress with each game we play,” Pezzaiuoli said.

The Blues fell 2-0 to Mohun Bagan in their opening group stage clash before a goalless draw against Bangladesh Premier League champions Bashundhara Kings on Saturday. Despite the stalemate confirming their elimination from the tournament, Pezzaiuoli maintained that his side were eager to finish on a high.

“In football it’s not always about winning. Yes, we wanted to do well in the AFC Cup but it wasn’t to be. It was tough to accept, but we trained this morning and I saw good team spirit and mentality from my players. We are eager to do well and finish on a good note against Maziya,” the Italian added.

The Blues’ boss confirmed that winger Ashique Kuruniyan would continue to miss out, having suffered an ankle injury in their playoff clash against Club Eagles. In a bid to give minutes to different players across positions, Pezzaiuoli handed debuts to summer signings Danish Farooq, Bidyashagar Singh, Rohit Kumar, Jayesh Rane, Alan Costa and Sarthak Golui in the first two group stage games. B Team graduate Sivasakthi Narayanan also clocked his first minutes for the senior team. 

Maziya, who began their AFC Cup group stage with a 2-0 loss to Bashundhara Kings, fell 3-1 to Mohun Bagan on Saturday, confirming their elimination from the tournament. The Blues have faced Maziya six times in the AFC Cup, winning on four occasions, and losing twice.

Kick-off at the National Stadium, in Male, is scheduled for 9.30 pm IST and will be telecast live on the STAR Sports Network, Disney+Hotstar and JioTV.

All to play for as Bengaluru face Bashundhara Kings in Malé

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC Head Coach Marco Pezzaiuoli maintained there was no pressure on his side as they prepare to face Bangladesh Premier League champions Bashundhara Kings, in their penultimate Group D clash of the 2021 AFC Cup, on Saturday. Kings, who ran out 2-0 winners against Maziya S&RC in their first group stage game, will be eager to get the better of the Blues, who went down to Mohun Bagan by the same scoreline.

An own-goal from Mohammed Irufaan, followed by a strike from Brazilian winger Robinho, sealed three points for Oscar Bruzon’s side in their opening clash against Maziya S&RC. Speaking to the press ahead of the encounter, Blues’ boss Pezzaiuoli said the Bangladeshi side were a force to reckon with, having made light work of their League campaign, which they secured with four games left to play.

“We're up against a team from Bangladesh that scored 55 goals in the League and are champions. They conceded only nine goals in the League, and won their first group game 2-0. They score a lot of goals and have a strong defence, are compact at the back and counter very well. We might have to change things a little bit because this is our third game. Our plan will be to maybe go backwards a bit and create space behind them to score goals and create chances,” said Pezzaiuoli.

Bashundhara, who made their AFC Cup debut last season in a campaign that was cut short due to the COVID19 pandemic, retained the 2020-21 Bangladesh Federation Cup in January. Pezzaiuoli handed starts to Ajay Chhetri and Naorem Roshan Singh in the clash against Mohun Bagan, while Leon Augustine, Parag Shrivas and Ajith Kumar came off the bench in addition to summer signings Bidyashagar Singh and Danish Farooq.

“In life you cannot be negative. I choose to take the positives from the previous game where we had almost 70% ball possession against Mohun Bagan. I think we only need to improve in certain aspects. There is no pressure. Football is not about pressure. We enjoy the games, and I am sure every team wants to be the number one in the Group. We want to win, and so do Bashundhara Kings. We have worked hard in training, and focused on certain things. We want to better our free-kicks and corners, and create better chances and finish them,” Pezzaiuoli added.

Having made several new foreign signings in Raul Becerra, Jonathan Fernandes, Khaled Shafiei and Robinho (on loan from Fluminense), the Blues will have to be wary of Bashundhara Kings’ attack, with the BPL side scoring as many as 67 goals in all competitions this season.

Kick off between the Blues and Bashundhara Kings at the National Stadium is scheduled for 4.30 pm IST, and will be telecast live on the STAR Sports network, Hotstar and JioTV.

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 take on Maziya in must-win AFC Cup clash

Bengaluru FC Media 

Less than two weeks after being crowned Federation Cup champions, Bengaluru FC will be competing in a second ‘final’ when Albert Roca’s side takes on Maziya S&RC in the AFC Cup at the Kanteerava Stadium, on Wednesday. In a group that’s tantalizingly poised, one of either Bengaluru or Maziya will make it through to the next stage in what is the last round of group stage fixtures.

While Maziya can get the job done with a draw, only victory will punch Bengaluru’s ticket to the next round and Roca says his boys are up to the task. “The game against Maziya is another final, just that there’s no trophy or medal at the end of it. And while we don’t dwell too much on success that we’ve tasted, the team will look to draw inspiration from our Federation Cup triumph. We’ve left things late but we need to back ourselves,” said the Spaniard who famously guided the Blues to a historic AFC Cup final last season.

While a Bengaluru win will take them level with leaders Maziya (12 points), a better head head-to-head record against the Maldivian side will take the Blues through to the next round.

In what is a massive fillip for Bengaluru, skipper Sunil Chhetri has recovered from a muscle injury that saw him miss the semifinal and final of the Federation Cup. However Roca will be without Udanta Singh who limped out of the title clash in Cuttack against Bagan. “Sunil has been working hard with our medical team and will be available for the game. However, Udanta is still recovering from his injury,” said Roca.

While the sole injury is a blip for Bengaluru, the Federation Cup champions have no suspensions to deal with as Harmanjot Khabra and John Johnson make a return to the squad after having sat out of the AFC Cup game against Bagan.

Maziya are not an unknown foe, with the Blues having played the Maldivian champions three times, coming out winners in every one of those clashes. “We have a 100% win record against Maziya and while the numbers do give us confidence, the record isn’t something we will make too much of when we step on the pitch,” added Roca.

Bengaluru keen to make a point

Bengaluru FC Media 

A confident and in-form Bengaluru FC take on Maziya Sports & Recreation Club at the National Football Stadium, in Maldives, on Tuesday, knowing that a point will be enough to send the current Indian champions through to the pre-quarterfinal stages of the AFC Cup.

The Blues sit second on the Group E table with 9 points from four games, five points more than third-placed Maziya who have played an equal number of games. Indonesian team Persipura Jayapura have already booked a berth to the last-16 while Singapore's Warriors FC have already been eliminated.

But while a draw on Tuesday would suit Bengaluru just fine, coach Ashley Westwood said his team would be going for the win keeping in mind the bigger picture of coming out as group leaders. "Winning the group is something we want to do because it means we get a favourable draw in the next round. So, we will be trying to win the game against Maziya as we will against Persipura. We are a new club and fresh in this tournament so we want to win as many games as we can and make a name for ourselves. We will be approaching tomorrow's game in a positive manner which is something that you are always guaranteed from us," said Westwood while addressing the press on the eve of the fixture.

Shankar Sampingiraj scored a dramatic injury-time winner when Maziya came to Bengaluru in a game that ended 2-1 and while Westwood says his side were confident, they aren't taking anything for granted. "When I say we are confident, it's confidence in our own abilities, not about winning the game. You can never guarantee a result in football. Maziya are a good side and we are expecting a very tough game."

Bengaluru registered their first away win in Asian competitions, putting on a stellar performance in a 1-0 defeat of Warriors in Singapore while on the national league front, Westwood's boys are on an eight-game unbeaten run and will hope to carry the form into the game against the Maldivian side.

Left-back Lalchhuanmawia hasn't made the trip owing to a suspension and spare his absence, Westwood has a fully fit and available squad to choose from. In fact it will be interesting to see who Westwood starts with given the depth in squad the gaffer has owing to the performances being thrown in. The coach could afford to start Sunil Chhetri and Robin Singh on the bench in the win against Bharat FC and it only goes to say much about the choices Westwood has been spoilt for.

Maziya too have a player missing in central defender Zhivko Dinev. The Bulgarian is believed to have suffered a knee injury that will keep him on the sidelines for a while.

The game kicks off at 4.30 pm IST.  

[Pic Gallery] AFC Cup - Bengaluru FC vs Maziya S&RC

Bengaluru take on Maziya, Maldives in AFC Cup tomorrow

Bangalore Football has witnessed clubs from Iraq in the mid-70s in Stafford Challenge Cup. The Stafford Challenge Cup which started in the late-20s and continued till the late-80s, albeit irregular. Not to forget the Super Soccer Series, promoted by Tata Steel in the late-80s and early 90s which saw top-class football from PSV Eindhoven, VfL Bochum, FC Sao Paulo. 

Competitive club game comes to Bangalore as namma Bengaluru FC (BFC) take on Maziya Sports & Recreation Club, Maldives in AFC Cup tomorrow, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. 

Maziya confirmed an AFC Cup slot this year after defeating Ceres De Salle FC, Philippines in a play-off. BFC was defeated in a closely contested AFC Champions League preliminary play-off tie against Johor Darul Ta’zim FC. Both the teams are placed in group E along with Persipura Jayapura (Indonesia) and Warriors FC (Singapore). 

Maziya have been playing since January, Coach Ali Suzain reckons, “team is in good shape.” He adds, “BFC is definitely a good team with Captain Sunil Chhetri, foreign players, and en energetic coach. They’ve proved last year by winning I-League and Federation Cup early this year. We have to respect them but if we play in our way, we can do a lot.” 

Maziya had played in AFC cup two years back, would that experience help them, “Maybe BFC have not played AFC Cup earlier as it is newly formed outfit, but mind it they have a good team. To me experience does not count. It is all about the players and coaches who are involved.” 

The team comprises of countries top striker Assadhulla Abdulla (Captain), two foreign players from Europe and one from Japan. 

Talking to the media persons, an Assadhulla Abdulla, captain of Maziya exuberantly said, “we are in good form, players are enjoying their stay in Bangalore, and ready to face the home team tomorrow.” 

BFC gaffer Ashley Westwood is not reading much into last week’s away defeat against Mohun Bagan 1-4, “The score line would not probably give you the actual picture of the match. We had our momentary lapses, mostly due to individual mistake”, said gaffer. 

Tomorrows match should mark the return of Rino Anto and Sean Rooney, both were out in the last could of I-League games owing to injury and central defender Curtis Osano. 

Match is slated for a 7.30 pm start.