ISL: Bengaluru draw first blood vs FC Goa

bengaluru: Hosts Bengaluru FC gained the upper hand against FC Goa with a commanding 2-0 win in their first-leg semifinal of the Indian Super League here on Wednesday.

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 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 to the goal though. 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 centre, 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 which led to a goal from Mendez.