Bengaluru FC B ensured a finish on top of the Group A table of the Hero 2nd Division League with a 3-1 win over LoneStar Kashmir at the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Sports Complex in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, on Wednesday. First-half goals from Advait Shinde (6′), Edmund Lalrindika (19′) and Myron Mendes (39′) gave the Blue Colts their sixth win in seven games in a competition where they are yet to be beaten.

The win took Naushad Moosa’s team, who have one game in hand, to 19 points – seven more than second-placed FC Goa Reserves who they will take on in their final game at the Bengaluru Football Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Saturday. Goa have two games in hand, including the one against BFC B, and can reach a maximum of 18 points.

Despite the far from ideal pitch conditions, Bengaluru got off to the perfect start, when Shinde ghosted past the Lonestar central defenders to pick a pass from Mendes before slotting home with ease. Lalrindika soon made it 2-0 when he raced and latched on to a long pass from the Amal Das and finished past the Kashmir ’keeper.

Unable to handle Bengaluru’s pace, Lonestar conceded a penalty in the 39th minute when Waqar Malik brought down Leon Augustine in the box after the latter had played a smart one-two with Lalrindika. Skipper Mendes, who is in charge of penalties, made no mistake from the spot to put Bengaluru in the driver’s seat.

The hosts managed to pull a goal back through Basit Bhat a little beyond the hour-mark, but Bengaluru were stubborn enough to avoid any further slip up as they sealed a first win in the campaign over LoneStar Kashmir FC.

(Bengaluru FC)