Will the return to their Fortress – the Sree Kanteerava Stadium – turn out favourable for Bengaluru FC following a poor form on the road in their I-League 2017 campaign? That remained the major question on everyone's minds ahead of their fourth home game of the season against Minerva Punjab FC on Saturday.
The result of the match may not have turned out what BFC really expected it to be. Points were shared as the scoreline read 1-1 following 90 minutes of play.
'Football is cruel sometimes', that is the phrase coach Albert Roca used to describe in the post-match press conference.
Sunil Chhetri started the scoring for the home side just at the start of the second half. It was in the 53rd minute of the match that Udanta Singh, who has been brilliant along the right flank, played the cross inside the box and a completely-focussed Chhetri could not afford missing it.
The goal gave a lot of motivation to BFC to try and get things moving to try and continue the momentum. From Lenny Rodrigues to Harmanjot Khabra, the shots on goal came on thick and fast. In football, a solitary goal lead is however, never enough.
Call it unfortunate or the worst of lucks, Minerva Punjab equalised in the 79th minute of the match via an own goal from Sandesh Jhingan. That was it!
The last ten minutes of the match saw every possible attempt from BFC... chances after chances, shots on target and off-target and physical challenges. The end result, however, remained a foregone one.
"Sports is unfair sometimes. We tried everything to win the game -- from changing the techniques to creating plenty of chances and son on," said a visibly disappointed Roca. "We created enough chances to win the game. We deserved the victory, but It's such a shame!
It was simply lack of luck. We have tried to do everything but it wasn't simply our day. We have to keep fighting. Game by game, we have to do our best!" the Spaniard added.
The Blues play a couple of away matches once more and return to home for the big return leg fixture at home against East Bengal at the end of February.
