Bangabandhu SAFF Championship Semifinal lineup drawn, Lebanon set up clash with India

 AIFF Media 

Skipper Hassan Maatouk 24th minute strike steered Lebanon to a 1-0 victory over Maldives in a Group B match while Bangladesh registered a 3-1 victory over Bhutan in their final group match of the Bangabandhu SAFF Championship 2023, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Wednesday, June 28.

Lebanon tops the group with an all-win record in the four-team group. With this win, Lebanon set up a penultimate round battle with India to be played on Saturday, July 1, 2023, 7:30 PM. The two teams met recently in the final of the Hero Intercontinental Cup in Bhubaneswar, where India emerged the winners. 

Bangladesh, who finished second in the group, will face Group A toppers Kuwait in the semi-finals earlier, 3 PM on the same day.

Karnataka make it through to Santosh Trophy semifinal

pic: AIFF Media 

With three teams - Punjab, Karnataka, and Kerala vying for the semi-final spot from Group A in the 76th Santosh Trophy, Punjab took on Kerala while Karnataka were playing against host Odisha in  their last group game.

Karnataka took the lead from side-back Sunil's opportunistic in the 17th min of the game. Odisha quickly equalized via captain Prabin Tigga's goal, then took lead from Chandra Muduli in 35th minute. 

Half-time score read 2-1 for Odisha. 

Karnataka were quick to make it 2-2 from a Shajan Franklin's beautiful header. Post that the state boys dominated the proceedings but the winning goal eluded them.

Punjab takes the top spot with 11 points (3 win and 2 draw) and with 9 points (2 win and 3 draw), Karnataka came as the second best team from their Group thus qualifying for the semi final, which will be played at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

Kerala, Karnataka gear up for Hero Santosh Trophy semi-final clash

AIFF Media 

Karnataka will be vying to move a step closer to winning their fifth Santosh Trophy title on Thursday, April 28, 2022 when they will square off against six times champions Kerala in the first semi-final at the Manjeri Payyanad Stadium, Kerala.

In the second semi-final clash, the most successful team in the history of the Hero Santosh Trophy, West Bengal, will face Manipur on Friday (April 29, 2022) at the same venue. Both the games are scheduled to kick off at 08:30 pm (IST).

Karnataka finished second in Group B with seven points in their kitty. They won two games in the previous round against Gujarat and Services with their only defeat coming at the hands of Manipur. They were held for a 3-3 draw by Odisha in their first game.

“The match against Kerala is going to be very exciting, they have home advantage, but we will give our best in the game. Our team is motivated after our last win and we will not leave any stone unturned to win this one,” Karnataka boss Biby Thomas said.

“We are training hard for the semi-final, we are only focusing on tomorrow's game. I believe we will give our 100% on the field,” Karnataka skipper Sunil Kumar said.

Kerala, meanwhile, progressed to the semi-final round of the tournament after finishing the last round as Group A table-toppers. They collected 10 points from four games and are the only unbeaten side in the tournament.

Kerala captain Jijo Joseph is the tournament's highest scorer so far, and when asked about it, the talismanic star responded, "Scoring isn't essential to me; I just want to win every game, and that is what I am concentrating on right now."

"I am pleased with my performance," he continued, "but the most important thing for me is to win this game and get to the final."

"Karnataka is a good side," Kerala coach Bino George remarked when asked about their opponent. “They were outstanding against Gujarat in their most recent match and are in excellent form."

"All of the teams that have advanced to the semifinals are good, and now it's a do-or-die situation for us," he continued.

 

Spirited Bengaluru FC exit Durand Cup with defeat in sudden death to FC Goa

Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC’s Durand Cup campaign came to a heartbreaking end following their defeat to FC Goa in the semifinal, at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, on Wednesday. Sivasakthi Narayanan (1’, 83’) scored at either end of regulation time, with Devendra Murgaokar (8’) and Redeem Tlang (72’) getting on the scoresheet for Goa. With both teams on level terms at the end of extra time, the game moved to a penalty shootout, where Damaitphang Lyngdoh saw his effort saved in sudden death, which meant curtains for the Blues in Kolkata.

Naushad Moosa made two changes to the team that beat Army Green in the quarterfinal, with Namgyal Bhutia and Akashdeep Singh replacing Biswa Darjee and Leon Augustine. On the other bench, Juan Ferrando made three changes; Naveen Kumar, Ivan Gonzalez, Alberto Noguera coming in place of Dheeraj Singh, Brandon Fernandes and Aibanbha Dohling.

Goa got the ball rolling and the Blues’ high press right from kickoff caught their goalkeeper Naveen Kumar off guard, whose attempt to clear was blocked by Sivasakthi, deflecting the ball into the goal to put Bengaluru 1-0 up. Goa made it 1-1 minutes later when Devendra headed in Muhammed Nemil’s corner from close range.

Despite the early equaliser, the Blues stuck to the game plan and made frequent inroads into the final third. First, Sivasakthi made space for himself and took a shot that curled away from the goal. Later, Bidyashagar Singh, on as an early replacement for the injured Harmanpreet Singh, cut inside from the left and saw his shot blocked for a corner. Minutes after, Sivasakthi found Bhutia’s run from inside the Blues’ half, but the 22-year-old’s first time effort sailed well over.

Just past the half hour mark, Sanson Pereira found his way into the Blues box and found Edu Bedia in the middle, but Wungngayam Muirang was alert to head the ball away with ’keeper Lara Sharma off his line.

On the other side of the break, Bengaluru took less than two minutes to carve open the Goan defence, when Sivasakthi played Bidyashagar through, but the forward saw his shot go high and wide. Two minutes later, skipper Ajith, pressing high up the pitch, stole possession outside the box, made his way in and found Akashdeep, whose shot was off target.

Goa’s first shot on target in the second half came from an Edu freekick, but Lara was alert to dive low and make the block. Looking to get a foothold in the game, Ferrando made a triple substitution in the 61st minute, bringing on Makan Chothe, Redeem and Aibanbha Dohling for Devendra, Nemil and Spaniard Ivan Gonzalez. The changes worked, as substitute Redeem put Goa 2-1 up with a left foot finish.

Sivasakthi, who gave the Blues the lead in the opening minute, brought them back into the game with a well taken header off Bhutia’s cross to make it 2-2, and take the game into extra time.

The thirty added minutes in humid conditions failed to separate the sides, as both teams, tired but resolute, stood firm to take the game into a penalty shootout. Muirang, Ajay Chhetri, Parag Shrivas, Bhutia, Ajith and Bekey Oram found the back of the net, while Akashdeep saw his effort saved, and Lara did well to block Reddem’s penalty. Damaitphang Lyngdoh saw his spot kick saved in sudden death, confirming an exit from the competition for the Blues with a 7-6 defeat in the shootout.

Bengaluru, Army Green clash in Durand Cup quarterfinal

Bengaluru FC Media

Bengaluru FC Coach Naushad Moosa said that his side were focused on tackling each game at a time, ahead of their quarterfinal clash against Army Green, set to take place at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, in Kolkata, on Saturday. The Blues, who booked their spot in the knockouts by virtue of topping Group C, face Army Green, who finished second in Group B.

“The final group game against the Indian Navy was a good learning experience for the boys. We allowed the opposition to bring the game to us in the first half, and that gave them a two-goal lead and I told my team during the break that they had to pull together as a unit and work hard. They responded well to turn things around in the second period,” said Moosa, speaking to the press ahead of the fixture.

Bengaluru began their campaign with a 2-0 win over Kerala Blasters, which was followed by a 2-2 draw against Delhi FC. The win over Indian Navy on Tuesday allowed Moosa’s side to finish the Group unbeaten, with seven points from three games. Army Green, meanwhile, lost 2-0 to FC Goa in their opener, before wins over Jamshedpur FC (3-1) and Sudeva Delhi FC (1-0).

Bengaluru have goalscorers across the pitch, with seven players within Moosa’s squad finding the net in the group stages, scoring nine goals among them. “It’s good that we have had several players finding the back of the net. It makes selecting the team difficult, and that’s always a good thing for a coach. The boys are hungry to do well and to go as far as possible in this competition. But that doesn’t change the fact that it will be tough for us, so we will have to be at our best,” Moosa added.

Army Green meanwhile, have scored four goals in the tournament, of which striker Deepak Singh scored three. “We’re expecting another physical game on Saturday, and since kick off is at 2 pm, the conditions are going to be even more challenging. The boys need to make sure they begin well and hold strong. We’re not thinking about the semifinal or the final just yet. The most important game for us is the next one, and that’s the quarterfinal against Army Green,” said Moosa.

Kick-off in the clash between Bengaluru FC and Army Green is at 2 pm on Saturday, September 25th, and will be streamed live on the AddaTimes website and app. The winner of this encounter will face FC Goa in the semifinal.

 

Karnataka edge out Mizoram 1-0, reach semi final

AIFF Media 

Karnataka ended their 72nd Santosh Trophy Group campaign with a 1-0 win over Mizoram to book a semifinal spot at the Mohun Bagan Ground today.

Rajesh S scored the solitary goal in the game in the 74th minute. The result meant Karnataka ended up topping the group, edging Mizoram on their superior head to head record. Mizoram too advanced to the semi-finals as the runners up from Group B.

The Southern state started off brightly with Leon Augustine, the right winger and striker Rajesh S. creating a host of opportunities, although wasteful. Mizoram goalkeeper Andrew Lalhmingliana made two good stops in the first ten minutes itself.

Mizoram’s first good chance arrived in the 13th minute when Malsawmzuala MC’s freekick could only be headed inches over the bar by Lalrammawia. A minute later, Rajesh S broke on the counter and played a diagonal ball to Augustine. The winger then found his skipper Vignesh Gunashekar outside the box but his shot too, went over.

Lalmuanzova was a menace down the right flank. Winning a corner from Lalrammawia’s pass, his flagkick was well headed forward by defender Lalmuanawma on the edge of the box. Malsawmzuala MC attempted an overhead bicycle kick which failed to pay dividends, all within twenty minutes of the game.

Karnataka custodian Shainkhan CP was forced into making a quick save from Lalmuanzova’s angled shot and Sukesh Leon tracked back to make a goal line clearance from the ensuing corner.

Rajesh S and Leon Augustine made life tough for the Mizoram backline but they held on well. Lalhmingliana appeared to be a bit slippery while collecting balls but the goalkeeper ensured that his sides did not concede any as the deadlock was yet to be broken in the first half.

Seven minutes into the second half, Mizoram got yet another opportunity from Muanzova’s corner kick. Malsawmzuala MC flicked the ball past the ‘keeper who was off his line but Shahabaaz Khan made a goal line clearance.

On the counter, Lithon Shil played a one-two with Leon Augustine on the run and the latter, who took a swipe from 19 yards saw his curling shot only nestle the top-netting.

All those chances yielded success in the 74th minute when Sukesh Leon’s flag-kick resulted in a goalmouth melee but Rajesh S, showing great presence of mind slotted the ball from close space.

Behind by a goal, frustration showed for Mizoram as the head coach Lalsangzuala Hmar was sent to the stands for arguing with the referee and then Malsawmzuala MC too went into the book for a rough tackle.

Lalromawia was brought in with four minutes left in regulation time but the midfielder, who had scored four goals in the tournament so far failed to live upto the expectations.

Both sides finished with nine points each from four games but Karnataka won the group. Mizoram face Kerala while Karnataka set up a date against hosts Bengal in the semis on March 30. 

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.

Not just Bengaluru, this match is about India: Sunil Chhetri

AIFF Media 

This is the third time an Indian Club will be trying to break the jinx of making it to the Final of the AFC Cup, Dempo SC and Kingfisher East Bengal having made it to the last four earlier. A couple of days prior to Bengaluru FC’s crucial second-leg semifinal against defending champions Johor Darul Ta’zim FC, the iconic Sunil Chhetri urges the Country to rally behind the Blues. In a freewheeling chat, Chhetri speaks about ‘this being about India,’ BFC’s success mantra, the opponents, whether it’s advantage BFC and much more. EXCERPTS:

You have been vocal on your SM handles asking fans for support. Why and how is this match different?

To put it simply, this game will decide if Indian Club Football can write a new chapter in history or not. We’re on the brink of something special and it’s going to take a determined 90 minutes to set foot where no Club from the Country has before. But more importantly this is not just about Bengaluru or Karnataka, this is about India. And that is exactly why me and my teammates have been so vocal about getting the Country to rally behind us.

In your playing Career so far (both for Country and Club) where would you rate this match in terms of significance?

At the Club level this game is up there simply because of what we could achieve should things go our way. No Club from India have been in a final before, and for us -- in our three years and some months old existence -- to be able to do that will be so special. I’ve won the major Trophies with different Clubs and I cherish every one of them. But to make the final of an Asian tournament will be up there.

People often curse Indian Clubs for lack of vision. But here we are looking at a Club some barely three years old and on the threshold of history. How do you define that?

It’s all about pulling out a blueprint of what you want to achieve and working single-mindedly to getting it done. In three years we’ve won the League twice, lost it with three minutes to the clock once and have won the Federation Cup. You can’t get that lucky, can you? Everyone at this Club -- the Players, staff, owners, management and even the fans -- are obsessed with wanting to be the change. And when everyone thinks alike, you can affect a change. That’s exactly what has been happening at BFC.

You have played Johor thrice this season and haven’t been able to get past them. 
What do you need to do this time?

On paper we don’t need to get past them to progress as even a 0-0 draw will do. But the Coach hates playing that way and so do the Players. In the 4 times we have played Johor, we’ve come really close on two occasions [2-1 after extra time and 1-0 in Bengaluru]. And then we managed to take a point away last month. The belief is there. They are a strong Team and are Champions with good reason but we always back ourselves and more so when we’re playing at Home.

Do you believe its advantage BFC after the 1-1 draw in the first leg?

It sure is an advantage but not a really big one. If JDT score a goal early on, we’re going to be chasing this game. What the away goal has done is given us the belief that we can go out there, take the fight to the Champions and come away with a reward. They are a quality side and will come all guns blazing. We need to stick to our plan and I think we will be alright.

Big match, Big Player – will the second leg be a Sunil Chhetri special?

Believe me when I tell you it won’t even matter if Amrinder Singh scores on the night if it means us going through to the final. But yes, I would like to play my part in the game. I relish big nights and stages and for us, till date, this would be the biggest game. If it turns out to be a Sunil Chhetri special, so be it.

Lyngdoh strike gives Bengaluru big advantage in semifinal

Bengaluru FC Media 

A familiar moment of magic from Eugeneson Lyngdoh set the Blues up nicely for a return leg of the AFC Cup semifinal after the midfielder’s equaliser in the 56th minute gave Bengaluru FC a 1-1 draw against reigning champions Johor Darul Ta’zim at a packed Larkin Stadium, in Malaysia, on Wednesday.

A resolute Bengaluru defence conceded early in the second half but Lyngdoh brought the Blues back to life four minutes later and more importantly, gave them a vital away goal to take back home to Bengaluru as the Indian champions ready for the second-leg at the Kanteerava on October 19.

Refusing to sit back and soak in the pressure as most would have expected them to do at the Larkin, the Blues began rather confidently, enjoying a better share of the possession and even creating a couple of half chances early on through Sunil Chhetri and CK Vineeth. Eugeneson Lyngdoh too came close in the 30th minute but his attempt to place the ball past ’keeper Mohd. Izham lacked sting and direction.

The hosts slowly gained a foothold in the exchanges and it took a brilliant save from Amrinder at point-blank range to deny Juan Lucero a headed opener. The Blues shot-stopper literally pulled the ball out before it crossed the goal line with what was easily the save of the game.

JDT had another big chance in the 37th minute when Mohd. Azinee decided to finish off his run with a strike that he should have put away only to shoot wide. Amrinder wasn’t done yet when he made himself big to keep out a strike from Lucero in the 44th minute.

But it was Lucero’s fellow Argentine striker Diaz who finally broke Amrinder when he nodded home a Safiq Rahim corner from close in the 52nd minute. It was important that Blues didn’t let their shoulders drop as they picked themselves up and were rewarded courtesy another moment of magic from Lyngdoh at the Larkin, just four minutes later. With the ball at his feet and no one challenging him, Lyngdoh let fly a strike with his left from 30 yards out, beating Izham all ends up and silencing the home crowd.

Earlier Roca rung in just one change from the team that drew 0-0 in Singapore last week, bringing in Salam Ranjan for Nishu Kumar as the Blues stacked up in a fluid 3-5-2 set-up. The hosts will be missing both Lucero and Diaz for the second leg after the strike pair picked up their second bookings in the knock-out stages.

Bengaluru keen to mount strong challenge against Johor

Bengaluru FC Media

Albert Roca has called on his Bengaluru FC side to stand up to the challenge of what will be their sternest test yet when they take on reigning champions Johor Darul Ta’zim in the first leg of the AFC Cup semifinal at the Larkin Stadium, in Malaysia, on Wednesday.

The Blues will be up against a dominant JDT side that only last week claimed their third Malaysian League title in a row – a feat they achieved without losing a game. Earlier in the season the Malaysian team won the FA Cup and the Charity Shield to make it three trophies in 2016 for the Mario Gomez-coached side.

“We know everything about the opponent. They deserve to be here and are a very strong rival. We are not scared about that. For us, it’s a nice challenge and the aim is to put on a performance,” said Roca while addressing the press on Tuesday.

Johor are part of Bengaluru’s history in continental football by being the Blues’ first ever opponents in AFC competition when the two teams battled it out in the ACL qualifier at the Larkin Stadium early in 2015. The Malaysian team didn’t progress in the Champions League but went on to win the AFC Cup while Bengaluru bowed out at the Round-of-16 stage. This season the two sides met again, after being drawn in Group H with Johor winning both legs of the league stages to finish top of the table while Bengaluru qualified to the knock-out stages by finishing second.

But much has changed for the Indian champions since then, who brought on Spanish coach Roca and shuffled the player roster too. “Yes, we haven’t beaten Johor yet but we’ve had two very close games and we can take positives from that. We are a stronger team now than when we last played them. We have a new coach, new systems, a few new players and it’s all coming together. We go into every game wanting to score and win and tomorrow will be no different,” said defender John Johnson who has been with the Blues for three seasons now.

An interesting sub-plot to the game will be the battle between Bengaluru’s defence and Johor’s free-scoring Argentine strikers Martin Lucero and Pereyra Diaz.  Meanwhile, in attack, Bengaluru will look to be a lot more clinical in front of goal than they have been over the last two games.

Having progressed after playing out a 0-0 draw (1-0 aggregate) against Tampines Rovers in Singapore last week, the Blues chose to stay back and took a bus across the border to Johor, on Sunday. However, they will still be without Udanta Singh, Lalchhuanmawia and Keegan Pereira (injury and illness). 

“We do have a few injuries and unfortunately, those players cannot participate. But that is not an excuse as we have a good squad and we have to prove it tomorrow,” said Roca. 

The semifinal will be only Roca’s third competitive game since taking charge but he was confident of the way the team has been responding to the change. “We have tried to create a new philosophy and our team is improving. We are inching closer to the way we want to play. We know our limits, but we know we cannot sleep and we have to keep progressing as a team.” 

The game kicks off at 6.15 pm IST. 

Bengaluru FC script history, march into AFC Cup semifinal

Bengaluru FC Media 
AFC Media 

Bengaluru FC added a special page in their short but successful history after a 0-0 (1-0 aggregate)draw against Tampines Rovers at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Wednesday night was enough to send them to the semifinal of the AFC Cup. The game that had way more than its fair share of drama with both teams creating chances aplenty, was seen through by Albert Roca’s boys who took control of things in a strong second half show.

The win over two legs set up a semifinal date with familiar foes and Cup holders Johor Darul Ta’zim of Malaysia, where the Blues will travel to for the first leg on September 28 at the Larkin Stadium.

Coming into the game with a 1-0 result in the home leg, Roca decided to go with an unchanged starting XI. The bench, however, had two changes with Beikhokhei Beingaichho and Gursimrat Gill coming in place of Udanta Singh and Lalchhuanmawia who missed the trip with injuries.

Bengaluru’s best chance came in the 38th minute when a freekick variation caught the Tampines defence unawares but a sliding Eugeneson Lyngdoh couldn’t get his foot to what was a delicious pass across the face of the goal from CK Vineeth.

Only a minute later, Jermain Pennant fluffed his lines from inside the box when the former Arsenal man when he lobbed a half-hearted strike over the Blues’ goal. Earlier, Tampines’ Muhammad Hafiz came close to giving the hosts a lead when he intercepted a poor pass from Nishu Kumar and set off on a free run before his strike drew a save from Amrinder Singh.

The Blues got off to a bright start in the second half and Chhetri could have handed them a vital lead in the 48th minute when he lost a defender in the box before shooting, only for Mohamad Izwan to make a save.

A far cry from the frantic first half that saw them give away possession rather cheaply, the Blues turned up with a far more controlled show that saw them string passes and hold possession for long spells in the game.

Needing a goal to keep their hopes alive and take the game to extra-time, Tampines pressed high up and came close on a few occasions through Jordan Webb and Muhammad Hafiz. But the Bengaluru defence refused to press the panic button, making vital steals and patiently building up the game from the back. In the 77th minute Chhetri and Eugeneson exchanged a smart one-two but the latter’s shot lacked the sting it needed.

The Blues should have surely put the game to bed in the third of the five minutes of additional time but late substitute Vishal Kumar’s fierce strike was kept out by Izwan and Eugeneson’s follow-up strike ricocheted off the post with the ’keeper well beaten.

But none of the missed chances would come back to bite the Indian champions who joined Dempo SC and East Bengal to become only the third club from India to make it this far in the competition.