The 2015 Federation Cup champions Bengaluru FC survived a scare as they overcame a tough Shillong Lajong side 3-2 to register their first victory in this year’s competition.
The JSW-owned side almost got off to the perfect start as Sandesh Jhingan smashed the ball against the crossbar as early as the second minute with Lajong keeper Vishal Kaith stranded. Bengaluru kept possession well and went close on a couple of occassions as Lajong struggled in the heat of Cuttack.
The Blues finally went ahead as Udanta Singh struck a low shot, which took a massive deflection off centre-back Nim Dorjee Tamang before looping into the goal to give the southerners the lead which they would take into half-time.
The lead quickly doubled, immediately after the resumption as Eugeneson Lyngdoh made a fabulous run to be on the end of Harmanjot Khabra’s cross and neatly headed it into the far corner. At this point, it looked like it would be a very one-sided match.
Lajong then received a penalty as Jhingan blatantly handled the ball as he chose to punch a corner away with a volleyball-style smash. Up stepped the I-League top scorer, Asier Dipanda Dicka, who blazed the ball over with the goal at his mercy.
Moments later, Lajong finally got their breakthrough as Samuel Lalmuanpuia’s pass expertly bisected the Bengaluru defence and Yuta Kinowaki running onto the pass chipped it over the keeper with a deft touch.
There was yet another twist to come in the match when Sunil Chhetri’s harmless cross-shot was bundled into his own goal by Aiborlang Khongjee, with replays showing that the Shillong-born defender was under no pressure at all.
The North-easterners earned their second penalty of the match when Lalmuanpuia was brought down by Salam Ranjan Singh, only for the striker to take the penalty and score it himself, after Dicka had missed the first one.
Towards the end of the game, a number of players went down with cramps or clutching their calf as the heat continues to play a decisive part in the ongoing Federation Cup
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