AIFF Media Team

BENGALURU: Nineteen-year-old Nishu Kumar‘s first goal (40') for Bengaluru FC and another goal by Serbian striker Marjan Jugovic (82') cut out the job for the Steelmen who are topping the group E now with three wins from as many games in the AFC Cup 2017.

With coach Albert Roca serving a one-game suspension and his assistant Carles Cuadrat handling touchline duties, Bengaluru named a starting XI that saw goalkeeper Lalthuammawia Ralte make his first start for the Blues since the AFC Cup 2016 final played at the Qatar Sports Club in Doha.

Daniel Lalhlimpuia latched a shot from a Lenny Rodrigues cut-back before Len and John Johnson missed the target with headed attempts in quick succession. The Blues' defence was almost breached by the Bangladeshi outfit in the 25th minute when Mohammad Ziban found himself on goal, making most of an erroneous back pass, but Ralte, eventual Man of the Match collected it safely to thwart the danger.

It was Nishu Kumar who put the hosts in the driver's seat in the 40th minute after some fantastic build-up play. Sneaking into the box to pick up Daniel’s pass, Nishu placed the ball beyond ’keeper Sahidul Alam’s left to send the 2000-odd crowds into a delirium. Ralte was involved in another goal-bound save minutes later.

If Bengaluru were dominant in the first half, they further upped the ante in the second. Harmanjot Khabra could have dealt a huge blow to any hope of an Abahani revival when, after being slid through by Chhetri, he shot straight at Alam with only the ’keeper to beat in the 59th minute. 

The Blues’ second goal was the result of another swift move with Chhetri picking out Eugeneson Lyngdoh who floated a cross in for Jugovic. The Serbian took his time and saw his shot come off the crossbar before it bounced over the line. Incidentally, this goal was Jugovic’s second in three games coming off the bench.