- BENGALURU — A
strike by Edgar Mendez and an own-goal by Sandesh Jhingan helped Bengaluru FC
defeat FC Goa 2-0 in the first leg of their semifinal tie of the Indian Super
League (ISL) 2024-25 season at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Wednesday night.
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- The Blues will thus head into the second game of this
fixture with a 2-0 aggregate in their favour, as they marshalled proceedings in
this match with five on-target shots despite holding just only 42.2% of the
ball possession.
-
- Odei Onaindia brought down a free kick deep inside the
Bengaluru FC box and delivered a headed pass in the path of Udanta Singh on the
right to produce the first reasonable attacking move of the match in the 27th
minute. The attacker unleashed a dinked shot that was blocked near the goal,
though.
Also read: Indian Super League 2024-25: Bengaluru FC defeat Mumbai City FC 5-0, move into semis
-
- Just after the half-hour mark, Bengaluru FC’s Ryan Williams
responded with a similar effort from the exact angle, albeit at the opposite
end of the field. Williams had the chance to go for a cross from the wider
position, but in the absence of a figure at the centre, he went for an
ambitious dipping effort that was unable to find its way to the back of the
net.
-
- The Blues bagged the breakthrough in the 42nd minute with
Edgar Mendez leading the charge for them through his consistent lateral
deliveries. One such incisive cross, directed for the onrushing Williams at the
center, was instead met and hammered in by FC Goa defender Sandesh Jhingan,
resulting in an own goal adjudged to his name.
-
- Williams returned the favour in the 51st minute as he added
dynamism to a Bengaluru FC offensive move through a slick pass that pierced the
Gaurs’ backline in one go and landed at the feet of Namgyal Bhutia. The latter
squared in a low cross for Mendez, and the attacker made light work of that
with a straightforward tap-in to the bottom right corner, resulting in the home
side doubling their lead.
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- FC Goa had their chances in the final quarter of the game,
as Aakash Sangwan curled in a perfectly weighted cross for Onaindia in the 76th
minute, which the defender headed way high above the target despite being
positioned inside the six-yard box.
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- Boris Singh compelled Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to make an
outstretched save seven minutes later, as the Indian attacker received a pass
from Iker Guarrotxena at the edge of the box and immediately targeted the top
right corner. Sandhu was quick to spot the attacking sequence and made a timely
effort to keep the Gaurs at bay.
