United SC beat Sporting Clube, Dempo draw with Mumbai
Bangalore/Pune/kolkata: Despite putting early pressure on Bengaluru FC, visiting Rangdajied United FC experienced their second consecutive defeat in their first season of the I-League, losing 3-0 at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Sunday.
Goals by John Johnson (33rd minute), Sean Rooney (57th) and skipper Sunil Chhetri (67th) set up Bengaluru’s runaway win while the visitors, winners of last season’s Second Division, still looked to be finding their feet in the top tier of Indian football.
BFC thus took their tally to four points after two home matches, having drawn 1-1 with Kolkata’s Mohun Bagan a week back, while Rangdajied United fell to the bottom of the points table, having lost 0-2 to United SC in Kolkata.
Bengaluru made their intentions clear from the outset as they virtually camped in Rangdajied territory with attacks flowing thick and fast. However, the visitors showed some measure of pluck to repel the raids.
The home team had a couple of clear chances, but past the 13th minute, Johnson headed wide of the target from a setpiece, and then Keegan Pereira spoiled a good opportunity after he was set up by Chhetri. A left-footer by Pereira swirled wide of the post in the 21st.
BFC did manage to find the back of the net through Rooney in the 27th, but the Aussie striker was pulled up for off-side and Rangdajied just about survived.
A little later the visitors had a close shave as defender Ambilstar Sunn effected a goal line clearance.
The home team’s persistence finally paid off when Johnson rose tall in the box to head home a corner kick by Beikhokhei Beingaichho in the 33rd minute to put BFC 1-0 ahead, a lead they nursed to half-time.
On resumption, Rangdajied showed a bit more spirit and nearly struck the equaliser in the 52nd minute when Edmar Figueira picked up a stray ball inside the hosts’ box on the right and tried to squeeze a shot between goalkeeper Pawan Kumar and the near post.
The custodian dived to his left to collect the ball, much to BFC’s relief.
Bengaluru then went on the attack and Rooney made it 2-0 with a diving header off Beingaichho’s low cross from the right that stumped the Rangdajied defence.
Carrying the momentum forward, BFC struck again in the 67th minute, this time Chhetri slipping in from the outside to put home Rooney’s well-timed pass for the third goal that effectively sealed Rangdajied’s fate.
Meanwhile, Mumbai FC staged a brilliant comeback to hold Dempo SC 1-1 in their second round match.
The draw was Mumbai FC’s second at home and took their points tally to two. For the record, the result was the third consecutive draw between both sides in I-League.
Trailing by a first-half goal scored by Jeje Lalpekhlua in first half stoppage time, Mumbai FC found their saviour in defender Anwar Ali (86th minute) to squash the Goans’ hopes.
Both sides began cautiously, with Mumbai FC playing a waiting game.
Five minutes on and Mumbai FC opened up the attack. Skipper Nicholas Rodrigues set up midfielder Climax Lawrence, a former Dempo SC player, inside the box from right. The medio, finding space, let loose a stinger only to have his shot blocked by a defender.
Mumbai FC thereafter suffered a setback with John Coutinho, the hero of Round-1, ending his day with an injury and limping off. John was replaced by Jayesh Rane.
Thereafter, the game was a test for both in the midfield with the Goans marginally dominating proceedings forcing a host of corner-kicks that Mumbai evaded.
In the earlier match, United SC jumped to the top of the points table with a 3-1 win over Sporting Clube de Goa in Kolkata, their second win in two games.
Ranti Martins opened the scoring with a 23rd minute strike, but that was the only goal scored throughout the first half.
Victorino Fernandes then equalised for the visitors in the 56th minute and it was not until the dying minutes of the match that the home side retook the lead.
Biswajit Biswas made it 2-1 in the 87th minute and Eric Brown all but sealing the result with another goal in the first minute of stoppage time.