Bengaluru FC’s first away game of the AFC Cup ended in a 1-3 defeat to Persipura Jayapura after a Robertino Pugliara brace and an early opening goal by midfielder Ian Kabes were highlights in a dominant show by the Indonesian club at the Mandala Stadium, in Jayapura, on Tuesday. Substitute CK Vineeth headed a consolation goal in the 90th minute but it was too little too late for the Blues.

A depleted Bengaluru suffered the first blow as early as the 4th minute through a perfectly taken Kebes freekick after referee Wang Di erroneously adjudged Darren Caldeira to have brought down the midfielder a few yards ahead of the box. Kabes stepped up and sent it over the wall, leaving Lalthuammawia Ralte stranded.

The absence of as many as six regular players who are away on national duty had a telling effect on the Blues who struggled to gain a foothold after the early setback. Playing in front of 16,000 home supporters, Persipura began to seize control of the game, refusing to give the ball away and their attack comprising Boaz Solossa and Lancine Kone with Pugliara and Kebes joining in, kept ruffling the Bengaluru FC defence rather often.

Industrious and with a regular presence in most Persipura attacks, Pugliara scored his first of the evening in the 23rd minute with the simplest of headers. Beating a high line and racing down the right, Solossa sent in a cross that the charging Argentinian met with his head to make it 2-0.

Ashley Westwood rang in two changes at half time bringing on NS Manju and Gurtej Singh in place of Darren Caldeira and John Johnson who seemed to struggle with a niggle. But Persipura got their third five minutes into the second half when Pugliara scored from Kabes’ cross. Bengaluru should have pulled a goal back the very next minute but Malemnganba Meitei’s shot from in the box, flew over.

The Blues got their act together, doing a better job of containing Persipura’s charge but it was more damage control than chasing a miracle. Kone could have scored the goal of the game but his scorching shot from the outside of his left foot grazed the bar in the 63rd minute.

Westwood admitted his team were outplayed but felt that the decision to award Persipura the freekick leading to the goal was a game-changing moment. “We came here to try and win the game and test ourselves at this level but the referee’s made a bad decision in the first few minutes. He’s given them a foul that wasn’t and that was a big moment. To go one-nil down away from home with six internationals missing, we were always going to be up against it. No complaints on the day. We were beaten by the better side,” said Westwood.

Bengaluru’s only goal came late when Persipura ’keeper Dede Sulaiman made a hash of a simple collection from Vineeth’s header, letting the ball slip out of his hands, bounce off his chest and cross the goal line.