Bengaluru FC play out 3-3 draw against Friends United

Bengaluru FC Media 

Jan van Loon’s Bengaluru FC B side played out a thrilling 3-3 draw against Friends United FC at the Bangalore Football Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Friday. The result took the Blue Colts to 24 points from 11 games on the BDFA Super Division League standings.

Jan van Loon’s side kept possession in the opening stages and found the breakthrough past the half hour mark when combination play between Damaitphang Lyngdoh and Edwin Rossario allowed Amay Morajkar time and space to find the finish in the box. Moments later, the Blue Colts attacked on the counter, with Monirul Molla breaking free. Driving his way into the box, the striker made no mistake to slot past the United ’keeper.

Friends United pulled one back at the stroke of half-time when Dipesh Chauhan came off his line to bring Vijay Thangavel down, prompting the referee to point to the spot. Thangavel made no mistake from 12 yards, putting his penalty past Chauhan to reduce the deficit.

Into the second period, Bengaluru restored their two goal cushion through midfielder Lyngdoh. Having done well down the flank to beat his marker, Thoi Singh’s pass into the box fell to the diminutive midfielder, who finished with ease. Friends United would reduce the deficit through Thangavel yet again, who rose highest in the box to nod home from a corner to make it 3-2 with less than ten minutes to play.

Against the run of play, Friends United restored parity under fortuitous circumstances when Vinith Venkatesh, in his attempt to intercept a long ball forward, took a heavy touch that deceived Chauhan and rolled into the back of the Blue Colts’ net to make it 3-3 in the 87th minute.

Bengaluru FC B next face Sporting Club Bengaluru at the same venue, on November 8th.

 

Bengaluru FC rout Young Challengers 8-0 in BDFA Super Division league

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC began their BDFA Super Division Campaign with a comfortable 8-0 victory over  FC, at the Bangalore Football Stadium, on Saturday. A hat-trick from Thoi Singh (42’, 45’, 50’, 78’) and goals from Rajanbir Singh (10’), Clarence Fernandes (21’), Sudheer Kotikala (58’) and Monirul Molla (73’) ensured all the points for Jan Van Loon’s side. 

Bengaluru began the game on the front foot and opened the scoring early. Damaiphang Lyngdoh’s low cross into a crowded 18-yard-box found the feet of Rajanbir, who smashed it into the back of the net from close range to give BFC the lead. Twenty minutes into the game, a well-worked corner routine went in favour of the Blue Colts who capitalised and doubled their lead. Amay Morajkar’s cross found Rajanbir, who tapped it into an empty net to make it two. 

The pace of the game slowed down with both teams keeping the ball in the middle of the park, but Bengaluru switched gears and bagged two more goals in the last five minutes of the first half, courtesy of Thoi. 

Into the second half, it took BFC just five minutes to score another goal as Thoi completed his hat-trick. A sublime through ball from Amay Morajkar from the center of the field, found Thoi who kept his composure and slotted it past SK Sadekuddin to make it five. 

Sudheer got in on the action just eight minutes later with a powerful finish from just outside the 18-yard-box to make it six. Substitute Monirul made a huge impact in the game and scored with a sublime volley before setting up BFC’s eighth goal. Molla’s pass found Thoi, who scored his fourth with an easy tap-in. 

The Blue Colts next face Rebels FC on 31st August, at the same venue.

 

Bengaluru boys go down 1-0 to Kickstart FC

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC suffered their  first defeat of the Puttaiah Memorial Cup against Kickstart FC, at the Bangalore Football Stadium, on Monday. The first half strike from Sharath Kumar (25’) was enough to see Kickstart pick up the victory.

In the earlier game played this noon, Roots FC defeated Kodagu FC 1-0. With Kickstart upsetting Bengaluru’s rhythm, both teams along with Roots FC from Zone B ended with 6 points. However, Bengaluru FC and Kickstart FC with a goal difference of +5 and +2 respectively made to the semis. Newbie Roots FC despite winning two games loose out by a small margin. 

It was a tight first twenty minutes, with both sides trying to break the deadlock. Bengaluru and Kickstart had their chances through routine set-pieces, but failed to make it count. Kickstart took the lead close to the half hour mark with a swift counter-attack. A quick run from Akshay saw him beat his man and put in a low cross for Sharath, who buried the opportunity.

The game was fought out in the middle of the park for majority of the first half before the referee blew the whistle for the break. Into the second half, the Blue Colts came out looking for an early equaliser, and almost found it through Akashdeep Singh, who was put through on by Bekey Oram, only for the linesman to raise his flag. 

The Blue Colts brought on Lalpekhlua, Lalhmingchhuanga, Ashik Adhikari and Monirul Molla in a bid to turn the game around. The substitutes pushed for an equaliser, but the Kickstart FC backline remained stubborn and kept the attackers at bay.

Bengaluru FC next face Bangalore Eagles in the semifinal, on 17th August, at the same venue.

 

Bengaluru colts breeze past ADE FC

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC made it two wins on the trot, with a 7-1 defeat of ADE FC in the BDFA Super Division League, at the Bangalore Football Stadium, on Friday. Rahul Raju scored twice, in a game that the Blue Colts dominated from start to finish.

Sandesh Bhoite made two changes to the side that faced ASC&Center just three days ago, with Vinith Venkatesh and Manik Baliyan returning to the starting eleven. It took just a minute for Bengaluru to take the lead when Manish Chaudhary’s low cross into the box was finished by Rahul.

 

Seven minutes later, the Blue Colts doubled their lead through Lalremtluanga, who nodded home a free-kick from Omega Vanlalrhuatluanga with nine minutes on the clock.

 

Defensive frailties saw ADE concede two more in the space of two minutes. Under pressure, ADE ’keeper SK Sadekuddin conceded possession in a dangerous area, allowing Edwin to score the third goal, and only moments later Rahul poked home the fourth.

 

Bengaluru added a fifth goal before the break when Omega’s cross was deflected into his own net by ADE defender Suyash as the Blue Colts took a commanding 5-0 lead into the tunnel.

 

Picking up where they left off, Lalthangliana added his name to the scoresheet after being played through by Jagdeep with a clever pass over the ADE backline. The hosts were awarded a dubious penalty just past the hour mark allowing Sachin to slot past Baliyan to make it 6-1.

 

Bhoite rang in changes as Monirul Molla, Yaphathoi Magsatabam and Shighil NS took the field in place of Vinith, Edwin and Omega. Moments later, Abu Swalih came on to replace Lalthangliana, making him the youngest ever player to play for the Bengaluru FC Reserves at just 15 years of age.

 

Bengaluru scored a seventh goal on the night when Yaphathoi slipped through the defence, allowing him to finish past Sadekkuddin and make it 7-1. Shighil had a chance to find an eighth in the final minute of the game, but the midfielder’s shot from Abu’s cross went wayward.

 

The Blue Colts next face Bangalore Independents at the same venue, on December 13th.