Bengaluru bow out of AFC Champions League reckoning

Bengaluru FC bowed out of the running for a place in the group stages of the 2017 AFC Champions League, after a 1-2 loss to Jordanian champions Al-Wehdat at the King Abdullah International Stadium here on Tuesday.

Skipper Sunil Chhetri scored what was to be a consolation for Bengaluru after goals from Ahmed Wridat and Baha Faisal gave Wehdat a 2-0 lead.

Content to sit back and soak in the pressure, Bengaluru pulled off the plan flawlessly in the first half, refusing to give Wehdat any clear chance at goals. For all the half chances that the hosts did create, Amrinder Singh was at his safest best, keeping things clean with the collections.

For all their resistance in a smart first half, Bengaluru conceded soon after the restart when Wridat scored from close range. Then Sena Ralte conceded a needless penalty, bringing Baha Faisal in the box with the ball nowhere near the two. Faisal stepped up and smashed his take in. Left with a mountain to climb, Bengaluru refused to cave in to the pressure. And their bravery was rewarded in the 68th minute when Chhetri rose to nod home.

BBFC joined Maldivian side Maziya S&RC, Bangladesh's Abahani FC and the winner of the South Zone play-off between clubs from India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives, in Group E of the AFC Cup.

--IANS

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