These are heady days for Bengaluru FC.
After a promising debut against Mohun Bagan yielded a point, they notched up their first victory in the I-League against fellow newcomers Rangdajied United FC at the Bangalore Football Stadium here on Sunday.
By the time their captain Sunil Chhetri, who was also the man of the match, had breached the offside trap to score the side’s third and final goal, the capacity crowd were well on their feet, enjoying the occasion.
The first two goals had arrived from foreign imports. After John Johnson, who was impressive throughout the game, towered over his marker to open the account in the 32nd minute, Sean Rooney extended the lead in the 56th minute. Both those goals were set up by the stand-out performer of the match -- right winger Beikhokhei Beingaichho.
Malenganba Metei, who was BFC’s man of the match in their first game, had developed fever on Saturday and hence wasn’t included in the squad. But there was a start for Chhetri on the left flank of BFC’s attack. For the visitors, Edmar Figueira was a lone presence up front with the support of skipper Eugeneson Lyngdoh and Japanese Yohei Iwasaki down the flanks.
Both the teams made a cautious beginning but Chhetri had an early opportunity to make an impression. Rooney’s delightful free-kick from the right just about evaded the visitors’ defenders and Chhetri timed his climb to perfection but his header went just wide off the post. The hosts were enjoying the lion’s share of possession but the final pass was letting them down. But the goal arrived just past the 30-minute mark. A routine corner from Beingaichho was powered home by Johnson who evaded the visitors’ man-marking system. The hosts upped the ante after the goal and could have scored more before half-time.
The hosts knew that they had to get the second goal to feel more secure and Rooney answered their cries in the 56th minute. Beingaichho comfortably got past the opposition left back to provide an accurate cross to Rooney, and the Australian converted it with ease for his second goal in two games.
Chhetri, who was largely peripheral to the proceedings till then, started looking for the ball more and more and this move paid dividends in the 67th minute. Coming in from the left, Chhetri’s cute give and go with Rooney was executed to perfection and latter’s return pass was confidently turned home by Chhetri. That was the first time they combined in the match and Bengaluru outfit would be hoping they would be extending their association further into the season.
Rooney was replaced for India international Robin Singh for the final 20 minutes but he was largely ineffectual. But by then the home team had done enough to muster three points.
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