MARGAO: Defending champions Bengaluru FC showed great understanding and resilience to outplay Sporting Clube de Goa 3-1 in an eighth round match of Hero I-league, at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Saturday.
Bengaluru FC led 2-0 at the breather. Hero Man-of-the-Match and Australian striker Sean Ronney scored a brace in 29th and 45+1 extra time and substitute Beikhokhei Bengaichho in the 85th minute while Anthony Wolfe scored the consolation goal for Flaming Oranje in the 66th minute.
Fresh from their AFC campaign victory this week, Bengaluru FC looked better side in the first half as they held more of the ball possession with quick short passes and put on sustained pressure on the rival defence, who soaked the pressure until their citadel fell in the 29th minute.
Following a free kick, defender Lalchhuanmawia Ralte who received the ball, made a run on the left and send a cross deep into the box where Robin Singh headed to better placed Sean Rooney, who in turn gently placed the ball to the far corner of the net with a left-footer beating Flaming Oranje goalkeeper Ravi Kumar all ends.
Sporting Clube, who failed to play collectively in the midfield brought in Wolfe in place of Sumeet Passi and had a chance to equalise 10 minutes later when a move between Kalu and Victorino Fernandes saw the latter setting up Kalu inside the box but he delayed in taking the shot and was disposed by the rival defender.
Bengaluru FC kept on the pressure and increased the lead when Rooney once again found the net in the injury time before the interval when his shot from top of the box from a free kick took a deflection from the rival wall and beat keeper to his right to find the far post to have the visitors leading 2-0 at half time.
The home team put up an improved performance in the second half with Trinidad and Tobago striker Wolfe and Victorino combining well upfront but the latter failed to find the target after he was set by Wolfe.
Wolfe then scored in the 66th minute when he chipped the ball over the onrushing keeper Lalchhuanmawia into the net.
Unfazed, Bengaluru FC had a chance to inflate their tally when striker Robin Singh found substitute Beikhokei Bengaicho free inside the rival penalty box before he could do the damage Minguel Garcia averted the danger by clearing the ball for safety.
Sporting Clube then pressed hard to find the equaliser until the visitor took the match away from them when substitute Beikhokhei found the net in the 85th minute from the close range after the ball deflected Sunil Chhetri and came to him off a cross from Robin Singh which rival defender Rojen Singh failed to intercept to end the contest in the visiting team’s favour.
With the win Bengaluru FC accumulated 13 points from eight matches while Sporting Clube de Goa’s disappointing run continued and remained at the bottom with three points from seven matches.
At Balewadi Sports Complex, Pune, Pune FC scored a solitary goal victory over Royal Wahingdoh. The all-important goal was netted by T. Haokip.
