Bengaluru FC juggernaut rolls on

Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC last enjoyed ISL glory in 2018-19. Six years on, an opportunity beckoned under the floodlights in front of their faithful for an Indian Super League semifinal qualification, and BFC heard the call loud and clear as they sealed their spot with a crushing 5-0 win over Mumbai City FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Saturday. 

Spurred by a fired-up Bengaluru crowd, the hosts were intent on aggression from the first whistle to the last. 

Head coach Gerard Zaragoza made as many as five changes with Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Chinglensana Singh, Alberto Noguera, Pedro Capo, and Vinith Venkatesh all returning to the starting XI. 

Suresh Wangjam opened the scoring in the ninth minute of the clash to send the Bengaluru crowd into bedlam. 

Then came a flurry of opportunities that the hosts failed to capitalise. However, they charged forward again and got the second goal when Valpuia fouled Ryan Williams inside the six-yard box.

Edgar Mendez´s cool, calm and composed penalty doubled the lead to put them in a comfortable and confident position after the first 45. 

Bengaluru looked livelier in the second half but were held back by the MCFC backline. They continued to flutter Mumbai hearts and a clinical Williams scored the hosts third in the 62nd minute, beating goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa. 

The thoughts of elimination clung to Mumbai as they failed to the party. The tourists tried to open the windows of opportunity, but BFC were in no mood to let them breathe fresh air as Sunil Chhetri´s beautiful strike in the 76th added another to the tally. 

The BFC fans continued to sing and dance through the evening as the final nail in the Mumbai coffin was hit by Pereyra Diaz in the 83rd minute to complete a 5-0 humbling. 

Bengaluru FC will now face Manolo Marquez´s FC Goa in a two-legged semifinal tie. The first leg will be played on April 2 at the Sree Kanteerava stadium, while the second will be held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa on April 6. 

Result: Bengaluru FC: 5 (Suresh Wangjam 9th, Edgar Mendez 42nd, Ryan Williams 62nd, Sunil Chhetri 76th, Jorge Pereyra Diaz 83rd) bt Mumbai City FC: 0.