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Bengaluru FC secured their place in the semi-finals of ISL 2017/18 with a routine 2-0 victory over FC Goa on Sunday. Edu Garcia and Dimas Delgado scored for the home side as they romped to a fifth consecutive win.
Goa, on the other hand, remain winless in three games as their place in the top 4 continues to hang in the balance. Here are the major talking points from tonight's clash.
#1 Goa take the game to Bengaluru
There aren't many teams in the ISL who would try and outplay Bengaluru FC in their own backyard. Tonight, FC Goa attempted to do just that and did so with a lot of intent. The Sree Kanteevera stadium was taken aback but in hindsight, one could always see this coming.
Having failed to pick up a win in their last two games, the Gaurs were determined to quickly correct things. The likes of Manvir Singh, Ferran Corominas and Narayan Das all tested BFC keeper, Gurpreet Singh early on in the match.
Sergio Lobera once again was honest to his philosophy. Tonight, playing away from home, his team could have easily sat back and absorbed the pressure. Instead, they were extremely positive and caused the home side a host of problems.
#2 Ahmed Jahouh puts in rock-solid performance
Having made six changes to his starting line up tonight, BFC coach Albert Roca decided to position his captain, Sunil Chhetri a tad deeper than his usual position. Marking him was the hard tackling, Ahmed Jahouh.
Goa's central defensive midfielder was omnipresent in the middle of the park, making several crucial interceptions and tackles. He coerced Sunil further up the pitch and as a result, the Indian found it harder to get on the ball.
Jahouh was just a yellow card away from a one-game suspension. But that did not deter him one bit. The Moroccan was his usual aggressive self and hounded Bengaluru's players all night long.
#3 Edu Garcia transforms from supplier to scorer
Since scoring in BFC's opening match against Mumbai City FC, Edu Garcia has played the role of a supplier to perfection. Bengaluru's creative linchpin has been crucial for his side this season but tonight, instead of delivering the deadly pass, he was at the receiving end.
The home side won a corner in the 35th minute and rather than Edu, it was Toni Dovale who decided to whip in the cross.
Garcia rose the highest and nestled his header right into the top right corner. Despite having a man on the line, he managed to find the back of the net. Such was the accuracy of his header. His opener changed the dynamic of the game as Goa finally paid the price for being far too open in their final third.
#4 Goa struggle to build momentum
After a promising start to the game, FC Goa's influence diminished as the minutes passed. They found it extremely hard to create any clear-cut openings in the second half and were forced to play multiple long balls, a far cry from their usual slick ground passing approach.
Bengaluru's defenders were hardly tested. Their centre-backs, Juanan and John Johnson rarely had to get into second gear. While their positioning was solid, they didn't have to do much inside their own box.
BFC's midfielders did a fine job in stifling Manuel Lanzarote and Ferran Corominas. The latter even made an absurdly rash tackle on his own player, Narayan Das. To add to the comedy of errors, the referee decided to brandish a yellow card to Das instead of Coro. On a night when they had to be focused, Goa looked confused and chaotic.
#5 Is the ISL too easy for Bengaluru FC?
Tonight's win means Albert Roca's men have gone on to win five ISL games on the trot. They've scored 11 goals and conceded just three in the process. Playing their first ever season in the ISL, Bengaluru have rarely been outplayed.
They've suffered some shock defeats but that can be attributed to complacency rather than anything else. Despite losing several important players, Albert Roca did manage to retain the nucleus of his squad and they've done a fine job for him.
Tonight was probably their toughest game of the season but they rarely put a foot wrong. Against Goa, Bengaluru looked confident and had no trouble in keeping The Gaurs at bay. The most attack-minded outfit in the ISL looked impotent against BFC. The Blues indeed went marching on to yet another victory and secured their birth in the final four.
