ISL 2024-25: Advantage Bengaluru FC in semis after first-leg win over FC Goa

Bengaluru, April 2 (IANS) A strike by Edgar Mendez and an own-goal by Sandesh Jhingan helped Bengaluru FC defeat FC Goa 2-0 in the first leg of their semifinal tie of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Blues will thus head into the second game of this fixture with a 2-0 aggregate in their favour, as they marshalled proceedings in this match with five on-target shots despite holding just only 42.2% of the ball possession.

Odei Onaindia brought down a free kick deep inside the Bengaluru FC box and delivered a headed pass in the path of Udanta Singh on the right to produce the first reasonable attacking move of the match in the 27th minute. The attacker unleashed a dinked shot that was blocked near the goal, though.

Just after the half-hour mark, Bengaluru FC’s Ryan Williams responded with a similar effort from the exact angle, albeit at the opposite end of the field. Williams had the chance to go for a cross from the wider position, but in the absence of a figure at the centre, he went for an ambitious dipping effort that was unable to find its way to the back of the net.

The Blues bagged the breakthrough in the 42nd minute with Edgar Mendez leading the charge for them through his consistent lateral deliveries. One such incisive cross, directed for the onrushing Williams at the center, was instead met and hammered in by FC Goa defender Sandesh Jhingan, resulting in an own goal adjudged to his name.

Williams returned the favour in the 51st minute as he added dynamism to a Bengaluru FC offensive move through a slick pass that pierced the Gaurs’ backline in one go and landed at the feet of Namgyal Bhutia. The latter squared in a low cross for Mendez, and the attacker made light work of that with a straightforward tap-in to the bottom right corner, resulting in the home side doubling their lead.

FC Goa had their chances in the final quarter of the game, as Aakash Sangwan curled in a perfectly weighted cross for Onaindia in the 76th minute, which the defender headed way high above the target despite being positioned inside the six-yard box.

Boris Singh compelled Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to make an outstretched save seven minutes later, as the Indian attacker received a pass from Iker Guarrotxena at the edge of the box and immediately targeted the top right corner. Sandhu was quick to spot the attacking sequence and made a timely effort to keep the Gaurs at bay.

FC Goa and Bengaluru FC will face each other in the second leg of this semifinal tie at the home of the former on April 6.

--IANS

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