Bengaluru FC knocked out of AFC CL

Jordan’s Al Wehdat beat the Indian club 2-1

NEW DELHI/JORDAN: Bengaluru FC lost to Jordan’s Al Wehdat FC 2-1 in the AFC Champions League game and were knocked out of the tournament on Tuesday.

Last year, Bengaluru FC became the first Indian club to play in the AFC Cup final where they lost to Iraq’s Air Force Cup in the AFC Cup. With renewed vigour and handy experience, Bengaluru FC were once more representing India in the AFC Champions League group stages.

The game began on a bad note for Bengaluru FC as they continued their poor form from the I-league into the premier tournament of the continent.

Wehdat started offensively and from the beginning, forced Bengaluru players into their own half.

Against the run of play, in the 11th minute, Bengaluru launched a counter-attack cashing on an error from Wehdat but Sunil Chhetri’s shot was saved by the rival goalkeeper.

Amrinder constantly remained on his toes as Wehdat kept penetrating the Bengaluru half forcing the Indian side to commit fouls.

In the 15th minute, out of a foul by BFC, Amara took a freekick to which Zayed lept up near the far post but his header went just over the bar.

Soon in the 19th minute, Amrinder made another save as Hassan Fattah easily penetrated the BFC backline .

Wehdat were so offensive that Bengaluru hardly saw the ball and the BFC defenders had a tough time handling the constant attack.

Sunil Chhetri, many a times, traced back to help the defenders almost getting himself booked.

Despite all the efforts from the Jordon club, Bengaluru held their own and the scoreboard remained goalless in the first half.

Soon after the start of the second hald, Wehdat drew the first blood in the 48th minute. Amara’s cross saw Juanan clear the ball near the post but the loose ball was stopped by Maher and he shot it home with his left foot.

The goal seemed to have pumped up Wehdat even more as they didn’t back down and kept getting at BFC.

In the 64th minute, Sena Ralte was guilty of giving away a penalty when he pushed down Faisal in the box in an off-the-ball incident.

Subsequently, Faisal scores off the spot-kick though Amrinder Singh dived on the right side.

Bengaluru FC pulled themselves back in the game in the 68th minute when they were awarded a corner against the run of play in the 68th minute.

Watson took the corner and the BFC captain Sunil Chhetri came good with a header into the net.

Even after the goal, Wehdat dominated the proceedings and kept countering the pace of Mandar and Udanta and Bengaluru was unable to breach the Jordan club.