I-LEAGUE Media Team

BANGALORE: Bengaluru FC (BFC) and Royal Wahingdoh (RWFC), the second and third position team from the Hero I-league played a fast-paced entertaining game that ended in a 3-3 result at the Kanteerava Stadium on Friday evening.

Attacking from left to right, BFC showed intention and forced three corners within first 5 minute of the match. Meanwhile Robin was given the best of the crosses which he failed to capitalize.

For the visitors, Naoba Singh’s dipping cross in the 6th minute took BFC keeper Ralte by surprise, which was followed by another long ranger a few minutes later.

The match came alive in the 15th minute via a penalty for visitors. Bekay Bawar’s powerful shot hit Joshua Walker’s hand inside the box. Referee Pratap Singh awarded the penalty, which Korean Kim Song Yong calmly placed on the right side, out of keeper’s reach.

Despite making several goalmouth attempts, BFC failed to create goal chances.

In the 39th minute, Robin scored the equalizer from a goal-bound melee after a corner. It was an outcome of a nice buildup from Captain Sunil Chhetri which went for a corner.

Midfielder Godwin Franco who is having a fantastic run in the Hero I-League gave the visitors the lead again in the 42nd minute from an accurate shot taken outside the box.

Most of RWFC attacks formed from the right wing, with the combination of Densill Theobald, Kim, and Naoba. The end of the first-half witnessed a brilliant solo from the diminutive Jackichand Singh, which the BFC keeper managed to keep away.

At the start of second half, Kim Song failed to convert from an excellent ball fed by skipper Densill. A timely replacement of Shankar for Thoi Singh gave BFC their equalizer for the second time. It was Mr. Consistent Eugene again whose deft free kick via Shankar’s header found the ball back of Royal’s net.

BFC took the lead in 72nd minute. Rooney was brought down by the Royal keeper Prem Kumar, and Joshua Walker made no mistake in converting from the penalty to give his team the 3-2 lead.

However, the lead only lasted for few minutes, as Reagan Singh’s shot from the right side of the box took a heavy deflection and looped out of the reach of keeper. That was the third goal of the night for RWFC.

Hero of the match – Godwin Franco