Bengaluru, (UNI) Two second-half goals from Alberto Noguera, coupled with Edgar Mendez’s 43rd-minute strike, propelled Bengaluru FC to a commanding 3-0 victory over Jamshedpur FC in an Indian Super League (ISL) encounter at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Sunday.
With this emphatic win, the Blues climbed to fourth place on the points table with 31 points from 20 matches.
Gerard Zaragoza’s Bengaluru FC saw Lalthuammawia Ralte handed a start in goal, while Mohamed Salah replaced the injured Nikhil Poojary, and Naorem Roshan Singh operated down the right flank.
Jamshedpur FC, on the other hand, made a solitary change, bringing in Rei Tachikawa in place of the injured Stephen Eze.
The game commenced with high intensity, as Bengaluru’s Ryan Williams and Edgar Mendez pressed Jamshedpur’s backline aggressively. Mendez created an early chance when he intercepted a poor pass and surged into the box before being brought down, but the referee waved play on.
Another opportunity came his way when he dispossessed Pratik Chaudhari, but Jamshedpur goalkeeper Albino Gomes made a crucial fingertip save to deny the Spaniard.
Bengaluru FC earned a penalty in the 11th minute after Suresh Wangjam drew a foul from Sourav Das inside the box. Skipper Sunil Chhetri stepped up but was denied by a brilliant save from Gomes.
However, the hosts finally broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute, with Mendez capitalising on a defensive lapse. The veteran forward dispossessed Chaudhari, exchanged a quick one-two with Chhetri, and slotted the ball past Gomes into the bottom left corner.
The Blues doubled their lead in the second-half with a moment of brilliance from Noguera. The Spaniard’s left-footed free-kick was whipped into the area, catching Gomes off-guard as the ball skidded into the net without any intervention.
Bengaluru maintained defensive solidity, with Ralte impressing between the posts, while Wangjam and Pedro Capo effectively nullified the threat posed by Javi Hernandez and Javier Siverio. Roshan Singh also delivered an energetic performance down the flank.
Noguera sealed the victory with his second goal of the night in the 82nd minute. The midfielder dispossessed Lazar Cirkovic before executing a clinical right-footed finish from the edge of the box, putting the game beyond Jamshedpur FC’s reach.
Bengaluru FC will next travel to Shillong to face NorthEast United on February 21.
