Bengaluru FC Out of AFC Cup After Goalless Draw with Bashundhara Kings

Bengaluru FC got knocked out of AFC Cup on Saturday as they played out a goalless draw with Bangladesh’s Bashundhara Kings in Male, Maldives. Their Group D members ATK Mohun Bagan and Maziya S&RC will be in action later in the day and the Kolkata club can put one foot into the quarters with a win. Bengaluru FC and Maziya are already out of contention.

Bengaluru FC had lost 2-0 to ATK Mohun Bagan in their group opener and which is why they needed a win against Bashundhara Kings to get themselves back in contention. Bashundhara, on the other hand, beat Maziya 3-0 in their first match. Bengaluru FC now have just one point from two games and irrespective of the result of the ATKMB’s match, either of Banshundhara or ATK Mohun Bagan will go through. Currently Bashundhara are on top of the table with four points but later in the day, ATK Mohun Bagan have the chance to go atop with six points.

Bengaluru FC had a slight edge over Bashundhara in terms of ball possession but in front of the goal, both the teams matched each other. Both BFC and Bashundhara had four shots with just one of them on target.

Bengaluru had a shot in the fifth minute itself from Jayesh Rane but Topu blocked and the rebound from Bidyashagar was wide.

In the 25th minute, Sunil Chhetri beat his marker to play a low pass to Rane but he miscued his shot and Bashundhara were able to clear the ball.

Bashundhara’s one and only shot on target came in the 33rd minute, where Fernandes took the shot but Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was up to the task and swatted the ball away.

In the 56th minute, Bashundhara had a great moment but the combination of Gurpreet and Roshan saved BFC. Robinho’s shot was first blocked by Gurpreet’s foot but the ball bounced towards the goal. However, Roshan recovered to make an acrobatic clearance after which Gurpreet tipped the ball away from danger.

Topu was a key player for Bashundhara and he denied Cleiton Silva in the 72nd minute as well.

There was a potentially controversial moment in the 74th minute when Costa’s header hit the crossbar before bouncing back in play. BFC players appealed that the ball had gone over the goal line but the referee waived it off and the replays agreed with the referee.

Bengaluru FC attacked and tried to put Bashundhara under pressure but could not eke out a win.

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