Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC continued their winning run in the Indian Super League with a comfortable 2-0 victory over FC Goa to become first team to qualify for the knock-out at Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Friday.
The league leaders have now won five successive games to further stretch their lead at the top of the standings. FC Goa, on the other hand, were left to rue a missed opportunity to get back into the top four.
Edu Garcia opened the scoring on the night for Bengaluru FC in the 35th minute, before Dimas Delgado’s 82nd minute strike ensured the home side all three points.
FC Goa started the game on the front foot, but for all their keep-ball play in the first 30 minutes, there was hardly anything to test Gurpreet Singh Sandhu in the Bengaluru FC goal.
Bengaluru – who made seven changes in the playing XI giving rest to their key players – slowly grew into the game as the first period of 45 minutes progressed. Edu Garcia gave the home side the lead. After having been made to chase the game, Bengaluru FC stepped up and the pressure came to tell in the 35th minute. Toni Dovale’s well-driven corner kick from the left was met by the Spaniard at the far post, and the ball looped into the top right-hand corner of the goal, despite Bruno Pinheiro’s best efforts to keep it out on the goaline.
In the second half, Albert Roca’s sides kept pressing hard to keep FC Goa off their passing game, and it worked out pretty well. Under pressure from Bengaluru, the visitors were guilty of losing possession far too cheaply in the second half. Even when FC Goa did manage to develop something going forward, the final ball was still not there.
And just nine minutes before full time, Dimas Delgado sealed the game for Bengaluru FC with a well-taken shot from inside the box. After some clever play on the edge of the box between Boithang Haokip and Toni Dovale, the ball fell kindly for Delgado, and he calmly side-footed the ball past FC Goa goalkeeper Naveen Kumar.