7-star Bengaluru thrash Shivajians
Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC recorded their biggest ever win as they handed DSK Shivajians a 7-0 thrashing at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Saturday.
Sunil Chhetri was at his unplayable best with two goals and four assists to hand BFC their fifth win on the bounce.
Alwyn George, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Seiminlen Doungel, C.K. Vineeth and Sandesh Jhingan all added a goal apiece as BFC turned in a rollicking performance.
At the start it looked like it might be an even contest with both teams comfortable in possession. But the home side soon switched gears as they pressed and harried DSK, forcing them to concede possession in their own half.
And the opener duly arrived in the 20th minute when Chhetri played a neat one-two with Doungel, who returned with a back flick to add flair to the move, and the skipper struck the ball hard and low into the bottom corner.
The second came two minutes later on the counter with Doungel moving up to free Chhetri down the left channel who in turn pulled it back for Alwyn to slot it in.
Lyngdoh, who looked like his old self while bossing the midfield with Cameron Watson, then joined the party to find the net with a first time effort from outside the box off a Chhetri flick.
The fourth came just after the half hour mark, minutes after Chhetri hit the upright with a thundering strike, and it was down to Doungel’s tenacity.
The young forward took advantage of Nirmal Chhetri’s indecision near the half line and used his pace to get past. Although it looked like the ball might have gotten away while he was bearing down on goal due to a poor touch, the Manipuri striker recovered and tucked it in at the far corner.
The change of ends made little difference to BFC’s momentum and they scored the fifth in the 66th minute when Chhetri pulled off a wonderful first touch, past a defender on the run, to cushion Alwyn’s long ball and fire it past a helpless Soram Poirei for his brace.
Substitute Vineeth then made it half a dozen with a crisp finish off a Chettri pull back in the 78th minute before Jhingan put the exclamation mark on the scoreline with header from a corner in the 90th minute.
Result: Bengaluru FC 7 (Sunil Chhetri 20, 66, Alwyn George 22, Eugeneson Lyngdoh 25, Len Doungel 31, C.K. Vineeth 78, Sandesh Jhingan 90) bt DSK Shivajians