Eugeneson Lyngdoh's brilliant 78th minute goal helped Bengaluru FC notch a 1-0 win over debutants Kalyani Bharat FC in an ill-tempered Hero I-League match, here Sunday.
Lyngdoh, whom the Blues signed up this season, continued his goal-scoring spree with a curving long shot over an advanced goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya as champions BFC recorded their second win in five outings while Kalyani Bharat slid to their second defeat in three matches.
Lyngdoh, the 28-year old-from Meghalaya, more than made up for the absence of regular striker Sean Rooney who was benched for the game in a move that evoked no surprise given the Aussie's poor form.
The goal, Lyngdoh's fourth in the tournament and sixth in as many matches, including the Federation Cup and the AFC Champions League play-off, provided some luster to an otherwise drab and physical encounter with tempers on short fuse.
There was little to enthuse about the first-half that saw both teams wasting gilt-edged scoring chances besides indulging in some crunching tackles, a couple of which certainly merited a booking.
Kalyani Bharat probably had the best of opportunities early in the half when a casual backpass by central defender Curtis Osano to goalkeeper Lalthuammawia Ralte was picked up by Lester Fernandes who advanced into the box unchallenged, but shot wide.
A relieved Blues then picked up the pace and forced a few dangerous moves one of which saw Beikhokei Beingaichcho crossing for Eugeneson Lyngdoh who was a step slow as the ball bounced in front of goalkeeper Bhattacharya and the custodian collected it in nick of time.
Thereafter, it was an up-and-down affair marked by some ugly tackles that FIFA referee Tejas Nagvenkar chose to ignore without so much as a verbal warning to the guilty. With neither team able to make any headway, the first session ended goalless.
On resumption, the pace noticeably picked up with the Blues seeing more of the action to have the visitors defending despearately. However, the hosts were seen in poor light in set-piece play as they failed to convert any of the seven corners.
Kalyani Bharat did put together a few dangerous moves, but BFC's two central defenders, John Johnson, still nursing a head injury that forced him to wear the head mask, and Osano were unbeatable on the day.
BFC's persistence finally paid off as Lyngdoh, in a moment of inspiration, rifled a shot from about 25 yards out for the only goal of the match.
