THE BLOG BY CPD FOOTBALL | The World of Indian football and beyond by Chris Punnakkattu Daniel

Dominant Bengaluru FC put seven past DSK Shivajians

Bengaluru FC skipper Sunil Chhetri scores his first goal of the night against DSK Shivajians at the Kanteerava Stadium (Photo courtesy: Bengaluru FC)

Bengaluru FC turned on the style and dished out some champagne football in a 7-0 battering of DSK Shivajians FC on a night at the Fortress where skipper Sunil Chhetri scored a brace and had four assists to his name. The Blues’ best result in its four-year history also saw goals from Alwyn George, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Len Doungel, substitute CK Vineeth and Sandesh Jhingan to make it five wins on the spin without conceding a goal for Albert Roca’s side.

After patient spells of possession, the Blues opened the floodgates with a classic finish from Chhetri in the 20th minute. The skipper exchanged the perfect one-two with Len Doungel who, with the deftest of back heels, set up Chhetri to stroke home with finesse from 20 yards out.

Chhetri then turned up with his first assist of the night when he chased down a Lyngdoh pass and cut back for Alwyn who put it past ’keeper Soram Poirei’s right this time, just two minutes after the Blues had got the lead.

With DSK on the ropes, Bengaluru were in no mood for mercy as Eugeneson Lyngdoh joined the party with what was the goal of the night, in the 25th minute. Chhetri chose a smart flick with his heel this time to set up the No.14 who hit an absolute beauty from 25 yards out with his left foot to score his first goal of the season. The Blues weren’t done for the half and Doungel, chasing down a long lob from Chhetri, won the battle with Nirmal Chettri, halted for a brief second before rolling his finish past Poirei’s left to make it 4-0 in the 32nd minute, a lead the Blues would take into the break.

The second half brought no respite with it for Dave Rogers’ side as Chhetri scored his second and Bengaluru’s fifth goal. Latching on to a long diagonal over the top from Alwyn, the skipper’s first touch beat an off-balance Sasa Kolunija before composing himself for the finish past Poirei.

The Blues’ tempo was too much to handle for Shivajians as thirteen minutes later fan-favourite CK Vineeth smashed home the team’s sixth of the night. Collecting the ball from the right, the 28-year-old exchanged passes with the skipper before unleashing a powerful left-footed shot into the roof of the DSK net.

Bengaluru kept the pressure on the Pune outfit, with Roca introducing Udanta Singh in place of the skipper, who bowed out with four assists and two goals to his name. Bengaluru scored their seventh of the evening from a set-piece, a corner taken by Watson in the first minute of injury time, with Sandesh Jhingan nodding home for his first League goal for the Blues.

With Spaniard Juan Gonzalez suspended for the fixture, Roca’s back three comprised Jhingan, John Johnson and Salam Ranjan while Amrinder Singh, having recovered from a groin injury, started in goal.

Bengaluru next face Churchill Brothers in the final League clash, at the Kanteerava Stadium on the 29th.

(Bengaluru FC)