Bengaluru FC romped into the final of the Federation Cup with yet another commanding show in a 3-0 defeat of Sporting Clube de Goa at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, in Margao, on Friday evening. First half goals from Sean Rooney and Sunil Chhetri and a calm finish by Eugeneson Lyngdoh three minutes from the end helped Bengaluru set up a final with Dempo who beat Salgaocar 2-0 in the first of the semifinals.

Westwood tweaked the line-up from the team that beat Pune by a bit, bringing in Beikhokhei Beingaichho and Siam Hanghal for the two Singhs – Robin and Thoi. Not in any hurry to assert dominance on the half, Bengaluru were happy to slowly, but surely, stitch attacks.

Sporting had their best chance of the half in the 20th minute when Eugeneson Lyngdoh cleared Anthony Wolfe’s header from a corner, off the line. But only minutes later, Bengaluru got the lead they patiently waited for. Chhetri picked out an over-lapping Keegan Pereira with a delightful lob. Even better was Pereira’s low cross leaving Rooney to tap in from less than five metres.

Only ten minutes separated Bengaluru’s opening goal from the second and it was a combination of slick teamwork and individual brilliance to make it 2-0. A lengthy spell of possession ended with Rooney playing back to Chhetri just outside the box on the left. The skipper charged down before unleashing a scorcher that brushed ’keeper Ravi Kumar’s fingertips before shaking the net.

Bengaluru were in absolute control of the second half, keeping the ball when they needed to and pushing for another if the chance came along. The Blues’ first big chance of the second half fell to marquee player Joshua Walker, but Kumar was equal to the Englishman’s left-footed effort, palming it away for a corner from a tight angle.

Bengaluru eventually found the net once again in the 87th minute when Robin, after being picked out on the left wing by Walker, unselfishly teed up Lyngdoh who calmly tucked home from close to draw an end to what had been another dominant display of disciplined football.