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It was about to come. It came too late, but it came deservingly.
After the heartbreak last year, Bengaluru FC have finally landed the Indian Super League trophy by beating FC Goa 1-0 at the Mumbai Football Arena in Mumbai on Sunday. But the winners had to wait for 117 minutes to score the only goal of the match.
Rahul Bheke, who caught the limelight with his exceptional performance this season, scored the goal in a fashionable manner. From Dimas Delgado’s corner, Bheke’s pin-point header hit the post before entering into the net.
Putting their disappointments behind, Bengaluru were finally crowned the champions. But looking back at their campaign, it was quite deserved.
In this article, we will analyze why Bengaluru were destined to win the title:
#3 In the presence of Chhetri and Miku, Bheke steals the limelight quite unexpectedly
Bengaluru FC have so many match winners. On any given day, a certain Sunil Chhetri or Miku would win a game for his team. But Sunday was not the night for these warriors. While Miku wasted a couple of glorious opportunities, Chhetri was remarkably off colour. However, at the end, both of them left the field smiling, courtesy a man who scored the most valuable goal of his life in his hometown.
Rahul Bheke truly had an astonishing season this time. After switching from East Bengal to Bengaluru, the full back has improved his skills leaps and bounds. He has gone on to become one of the best in the country to play in that position. Stephen Constantine must rue his decision for not including this pure genius in his Asian Cup side.
But well, the past is the past. Bheke shrugged off all his disappointments and probably a winning goal in the final was something he would cherish forever in his life. It was a true reward of what he has achieved so far. It will glorify his career, which has been underestimated time and again.
Nobody would answer affirmative if they were guessed to ask the goal scorer in the final. Almost all of the fans wanted either or Miku or Chhetri to find the back of the net. Even some fans brought a Venezuelan flag with them to motivate Miku. Honestly, he had tried everything, but perhaps it was not his night.
Not the ideal night for Chhetri too. We have rarely seen him so frustrated in the field. He was tightly marked by Seriton Fernandes throughout the game.
Then, someone had to come and take the opportunity. And Bheke’s goal only proves Bengaluru were destined to take the trophy.
#2 Heart-break in the final minutes, Goa must curse their luck again
Perhaps all the Goanese, who took a short journey to Mumbai to watch the ISL final, hoped for an early goal in the game. Many of them had seen what transpired in the last time Goa reached the final. Two back-to-back goals dashed Goa’s all hopes and despite being the better team, Goa lost the match.
As the phrase goes, history repeats itself. It did so again on Sunday. Goa, one of the most successful sides of the ISL, had to witness another heartbreak in the final minutes. It was destined to happen though, especially the way they played the stipulated 90 minutes.
The team depended on counter-attacks and there was no clear chance that could be converted into a goal. Ferran Corominas, their star striker, was repeatedly caught in the offside trap, which left him frustrated. He should be. He never looked as threatening as he was in the group stages. All of the hard work goes in vain if you can’t perform in the final. That’s what happened with Coro.
Ahmed Jahouh and Mourtada Fall must be feeling disappointed. They have done their job. When Goa were down to ten men, they were looking to take the game to tie-breakers at any cost. They didn’t have any other option. But taking their opponent casually came to haunt them yet again.
#1 Deserving trophy for Bengaluru FC
After losing the final last season, angry Sunil Chhetri proclaimed, “We finished the league on top, so we are the real champions.” His opinion was contrary to the rules of the ISL, but not the statement itself. Players like Chhetri know how it feels to lose the final after finishing the league eight points ahead of their nearest opponent.
This year was different. Both the finalists finished on the same stage. Same points, same wins, draws and losses. The only thing that divided them was the head-to-head rule, which put Bengaluru on top.
The team knew very well that topping the league won’t prove their superiority. To prove them the best club, they had to win the final. They did it and it was about time they did too. If you are strong, success cannot remain elusive. Bengaluru, by far the best team of the country, proved that yet again.
