Bengaluru FC keep record intact
Nishu, Marjan score as Blues retain top spot in Group E with 20 win over Abahani Limited
Nineteen-year-old Nishu Kumar‘s first goal for the club and a Marjan Jugovic goal eight minutes from time made it three wins in as many games as Bengaluru FC defeatedabahani Limited Dhaka from Bangladesh 2-0 to keep pole position in Group E in the AFC Cup at the Kanteerava Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Tuesday.
Bengaluru had Abahani sweating in the first 15 minutes of the game. The Blues did have a scare in the 25th minute when Mohammad Ziban found himself on goal, making most of an erroneous back pass, but Lalthuammawia Ralte’s confident charge under the bar saw him thwart the danger.
But for all the havoc the Bengaluru attack was wreaking, it was Nishu who shot the hosts into the lead in the 40th minute after fantastic build-up play. Sneaking into the box to pick up Daniel’s pass, Nishu, with the calmness of a seasoned striker, placed the ball beyond ’keeper Sahidul Alam’s left.
Bengaluru upped the ante in the second half and Harmanjot Khabra could have doubled the lead after being slid through by Sunil Chhetri but he shot straight into Alam’s arms.
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, a finish the assistant referee confirmed. The goal was Jugovic’s second in three games as a substitute.