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

DSK Shivajians punish wasteful Bengaluru FC

Bengaluru FC defender Juanan Gonzalez in action against DSK Shivajians (Photo courtesy: Bengaluru FC)

Bengaluru FC were made to pay for missed chances as a Juan Quero brace (71’, 76’) consigned Albert Roca’s men to a 0-2 defeat against DSK Shivajians FC at the Barabati Stadium, in Cuttack, Odisha, on Wednesday.

Bengaluru were handed a boost ahead of the game as John Johnson was named in an unchanged starting line-up from the game against Lajong, in which the defender had to be substituted after picking up a thigh injury.

Refusing to let DSK settle down and gain a foothold of any sort, Bengaluru were relentless in attack, forcing the side from Pune to throw numbers in defence. The Blues were denied what looked good to be a lead when Johnson’s header from Cameron Watson’s corner was cleared off the goal line with Subrata Paul beaten in the 20th minute.

Paul then played saviour in the 37th minute, denying Udanta with a fantastic save. Picked out by Watson, Nishu Kumar sent in a ball that Udanta connected sweetly only to see Paul keep it out.

But despite Bengaluru’s dominance, it was DSK who grabbed the lead in 71st minute when Quero sent Lalthuammawia Ralte the wrong way from the spot after the Blues ’keeper was adjudged to have brought Lallianzuala Chhangte down in the box. Roca, who introduced CK Vineeth for Daniel, soon threw in Cornell Glen for defender Juanan Gonzalez.

But Quero then doubled DSK’s lead just five minutes later, curling in a free-kick around a two-man Bengaluru wall as Roca’s men threw numbers in attack with fifteen minutes to play for.

Shots from Vineeth and Glen blazed over the bar before Nishu’s dart and cross into the area found an unmarked but off-balance Udanta. The Blues’ best chance of the half saw a strike from Chhetri in the dying moments palmed away by an acrobatic save from Paul as Roca’s men were made to rue missed chances.

Bengaluru next face Mohun Bagan AC in their final Group B game at the same venue on Friday.

(Bengaluru FC)