I-League: Vineeth helps Bengaluru edge past Aizawl

Bengaluru FC skipper Sunil Chhetri (centre) tries to make his way past Aizawl defenders in their I-League match in Bengaluru on sunday. The hosts won 1-0. (Photo: R. Samuel)

C.K. Vineeth’s second half header proved to be the difference as Bengaluru FC got back to winning ways with a 1-0 win over Aizawl FC in a rather dull I-League clash here on Sunday.

With the win, the Bengaluru side climbed to the second spot with 18 points from nine matches while Aizawl remained in seventh.

Chances were at a premium as the hosts side failed to put together purposeful attacks against a well-organised Aizawl defence, who covered the attacking runs with diligence while enjoying a major share of possession without much threat.

BFC on the defensive front also conceded some nervy moments, mostly due to their own lethargy but for the large part managed to contain the attack to shots from distance apart from an odd chance.

The first chance fell to Alfred Jaryan who got behind the defence to latch onto a long ball from Ricky Lallawmawma but chose to hit from outside the box rather than approach the goal, a choice that saw his effort smothered by goalkeeper Amrinder Singh.

At the other end, Doungel failed to connect with Rino Anto’s whipped cross from inside the six yard box.

The hosts then got another chance just before the half hour mark but Udanta Singh had his shot from inside the box blocked by Lalruatthara even as H. Lalmuankima’s stinging drive was kept out by Amrinder two minutes later.

The JSW-owned side came off the blocks quickly in the second half and scored four minutes after the restart.

Just like in the away fixture between the two sides, it was again a freekick that made the difference when Vineeth, who had earlier failed to control the ball when one-on-one with the keeper, climbed the highest to nod in Keegan Pereira’s delivery from the right.

Despite being a goal down, the visitors continued to keep possession and rotate the ball but were found guilty of misplacing key passes too often.