JOIN USBFC held by Dempo SC
Bengaluru FC will go into the final game of the season needing a win against Mohun Bagan to retain their I-League title after Ashley Westwood's team were held to a 1-1 draw by Dempo at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Sunday.
Robin Singh came off the bench to head Bengaluru to a 65th minute lead before Uttam Rai levelled things a little more than ten minutes later.
In the day’s early kick-off, fellow title contenders Mohun Bagan beat Sporting Clube de Goa 2-0 at home to move to 38 points while the result in Goa meant the Blues are on 36 points as Kanteerava will play host to what will be a major title for either of the teams.
Spare a Sean Rooney header that sailed over, Bengaluru didn’t do much in a half where Dempo sat pretty with possession and had more than a few chances that Lalthuammawia Ralte was at hand to save. Battling relegation, the hosts were always going to come up with an inspired show, something Westwood spoke about in his pre-match press conference on Saturday.
The lackluster half was always going to see Westwood throw in changes and it was little surprise when Robin and Udanta Singh were brought on for CK Vineeth and Sunil Chhetri in attack. It took only 15 minutes for the tweak in tactics to click when Eugeneson Lyngdoh, like he has done so many times this season, swung in a perfect corner that Robin rose to head home as Bengaluru grabbed the lead.
The goal seemed to have put Bengaluru into the groove as they began getting more comfortable on the ball.
But Dempo had a substitute of their own pull a goal back when Rai shot past Ralte from a little inside the box on what was his debut for the Goan club. Picked out by fellow substitute Mandar Rao Desai, Rai bided his time and with no defender choosing to attack him, made space and scored to make it 1-1.
Bagan maintain top spot
Three-time champions Bagan stand on the cusp of their fourth title after convincingly beating Sporting Clube de Goa 2-0 in their penultimate tiw of the league on Saturday in Kolkata.
Youngster Shehnaz Singh (65th minute) and talismanic Haitian Sony Norde (77th minute) sealed the issue for the green and maroon brigade as they now need a solitary point against defending champions Bengaluru FC in their final round away game in the Garden City.
Playing under scorching heat and humidity, both the teams dished out a lacklustre display but all of a sudden defensive midfielder Shehnaz injected life into the game converting his 66th minute free-kick.
Shehnaz unleashed a powerful grounder to beat the wall as the ball went past the stretched left hand of Ravi Kumar to give Mohun Bagan the much-needed lead as they did not look back with Norde once again giving the finishing touches within 12 minutes.