I-LEAGUE Media Team

BANGALORE: Defending Champions Bengaluru FC got past Sporting Clube de Goa with ease as the Blues recorded a comfortable 4-1 victory in a rescheduled Hero I-League match, that took place at the Kanteerava Stadium in the City on Tuesday evening.

The goals came from Joshua Walker, Thoi Singh, Rino Anto, and Beikhokhei for BFC, while Victorino Fernandes stayed the solitary goalscorer for SCG.

Sporting kicked-off the game from left to right, as they looked keen for an early breakthrough through their comeback man Odafa Okolie.

Bengaluru FC missed the services of midfielder duo – Siam Hanghal and local lad Shankar Sampingiraj, who are away with the India Under-23 team playing the AFC Championship. The only Karnataka connection in both the starting eleven was in Hubballi boy, left full back of Sporting Chinta Chandrashekar Rao, who had a fairly decent outing.

Disaster struck Sporting in the 22nd minute when skipper Anthony Wolfe tumbled and fell on his left shoulder along with Curtis Osano. He was stretchered out of the ground and was replaced by Marcus Mascarenhas.

The much awaited goal came in the 32nd minute from a sublime freekick from super consistent Eugenson Lyngdoh which Joshua Walker headed to perfection.

The Crowd witnessed glimpse of the vintage Odafa in the first half, as he flummoxed the Bengaluru defense only to find keeper Lalthuammawia Ralte with several brilliant saves.

After changing ends, Bengaluru made their intentions clear, as they kept attacking from the right flank, which Sporting failed to plug. In such an attack from the right flank, built around Sean Rooney, right full back Rino Anto came from behind, attacked the ball and put calmly into the goal.

Thoi Singh and Beikhokhei joined the goal scoring party in the 60th and 80th minute of the game respectively.

Sporting Clube reduced the margin in the 82nd minute through Victorino Fernandes. The travelling ball on goal was not cleared to perfection by John Johnson, and it ultimately ended at the back of his own team’s net.

Hero of the Match – L Ralte (BFC)