![Bengaluru players celebrate a goal [Image: ISL]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2019/02/85fcb-15507772355583-800.jpg)
![Bengaluru players celebrate a goal [Image: ISL]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.6625'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Bengaluru FC recovered well from a recent slump to complete a comprehensive 3-0 victory over FC Goa at Kanteerava Stadium in the Hero Indian Super League. Even though they will not be touching the 40-point mark like the previous campaign, the Blues have secured their first spot in the league for the second season running.
Both the teams had fair chances in the first half, but they failed to accept the invitation. Nishu Kumar received two yellow cards within 40 minutes to divert the pressure on the hosts who had to play the remainder of the game with ten men. His absence did not affect the Blues who looked in supreme confidence as they were on the front foot for the rest of the game.
During a set piece situation, FC Goa defenders were ball watching rather than marking Bengaluru's number 5 Juanan. The defender took utmost advantage of the situation and scored a volley from close range to give the lead to the hosts. Udanta Singh ran behind the FC Goa defenders to bag his fifth goal in this season and double the lead for Carles Cuadrat's men.
The third goal was tallied when Miku launched a piledriver from outside the box leaving no chance for FC Goa to get back into the game.
In this article, we shall look at five talking points from Bengaluru's victory over FC Goa.
#1 Nishu Kumar's red card motivated Bengaluru to step onto another gear
When Nishu Kumar was on the pitch, Bengaluru were not moving the ball quickly and created very few chances for their talisman Miku up front. Carles Cuadrat's half time talk came into devastating effect when the hosts were first rate in every department during the second part of the game.
FC Goa looked vulnerable from set pieces and they were simply undone by Juanan's responsiveness to tap the ball in. The visitors' defence got caught when Udanta Singh made a long bursting run to beat the goalkeeper in a one-v-one situation. Not many goalkeepers would have saved that extraordinary shot from Miku which erased the hopes of an FC Goa comeback.
The midfielders won many duels and showed hunger in the defensive and offensive part of the game only after Nishu was sent off in the first half. His dismissal was a blessing in disguise for the Blues as they stepped onto another gear.
#2 Miku looked devastating
![Miku was in tremendous form during the game [Image: ISL]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2019/02/bd93f-15508065889142-800.jpg)
Miku, who has not been at his best since his comeback from injury, proved his mettle by continuously tormenting the opponents' defence. The Venezuelan was terrorising the opposition with his terrific movements and never allowed Goa's backline to breathe properly.
The 33-year-old had plenty of shots during the first half, but those were all comfortably saved by Goa's shot-stopper Naveen Kumar. Cashing in on the momentum created from the first two goals, Bengaluru soon secured their third goal of the night when Miku's shot from outside the box gave the goalkeeper no chance to save the shot which was always creeping in.
Not only did he score the goal, but his overall game by linking up with Udanta Singh, Xisco Hernandez, Luisma was first class. When Udanta Singh was making a run behind the defenders with his breakneck pace, Miku found him with a through ball to secure the second goal for the night. Deservingly, he was awarded the Man of the Match award for that scintillating display.
#3 Ahmed Jahouh had a rare bad game
![Ahmed Jahouh failed to stamp his authority on the match [Image: ISL]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2019/02/831c3-15508070112320-800.jpg)
Ahmed Jahouh will go down as one of the best signings in the Indian Super League history. The midfielder's dirty work in the middle of the park always lives in the shadows of Ferran Corominas who has been scoring plenty of goals at the front.
The 30-year-old struck the crossbar in the third minute of the game after launching a sweet shot from outside the box, but his overall game was disappointing. Ahmed looked off the pace tonight and struggled to contain the likes of Xisco Hernandez and Dimas Delgado who enjoyed playing in the second half.
There was no doubt that the Moroccan was dragged out by Miku who played a through ball to Udanta Singh in the buildup for the second goal. His partner Lenny Rodrigues will not be happy with his performance too. Bengaluru had far more technicians to advance in the attacking play and excel.
#4 Xisco Hernandez finally put in a good show
![Xisco Hernandez repaid Carles Cuadrat's faith in him [Image: ISL]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2019/02/4dde3-15508069725859-800.jpg)
Xisco Hernandez's stint at Bengaluru FC has been underwhelming until he played FC Goa today. The Spaniard has been struggling to fill the void left by the Blues fan favourite Edu Garcia.
The 29-year-old has to come up against Ahmed Jahouh and Lenny Rodrigues, but he came away in flying colours after putting in an excellent performance. He totally nullified the defensive brilliance of both those defensive midfielders and exposed their defence at the back. Mourtada Fall and Carlos Pena never looked assured with their feet and in the way they dealt with the Bengaluru attackers.
During the first half, Miku ran away with the ball and finally passed the ball to Xisco in the counter-attack. The attacking midfielder took a shot, but it was straight at the goalkeeper Naveen Kumar. He worked the ball brilliantly and produced some good passes to Udanta Singh, Luisma, and Miku in the forward direction.
#5 Goa missed too many chances
![FC Goa were not at their usual offensive best [Image: ISL]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2019/02/24ed6-15508074303201-800.jpg)
FC Goa struck the framework of the goal when Ahmed Jahouh struck the ball brilliantly from thirty yards out. It was then all about Bengaluru FC till they struck the third goal and killed the game off.
However, Goa still could have put pressure on the hosts had they taken two simplistic chances in the second half. When Edu Bedia struck the ball, it took a ricochet off Rahul Bheke's feet and ended up on Ferran Corominas' feet. The Spaniard positioned himself to shoot the ball, but Brandon Fernandes took the ball from his feet to shoot the ball at the crossbar when he was inside the six-yard box.
In the second instance, Juanan played an awful ball to the back and Gurpreet was rushing down to stop the ball, but Ferran Corominas won the ball and rounded the goalkeeper off to set up his teammate Hugo Boumous to score the goal, but he failed to hit the target inside an empty net which came as a huge shock for Goa's talisman.
FC Goa are the best attacking side in the league and those two misses was uncharacteristic of them.
ALSO SEE: ISL Schedule | ISL Results | ISL Points table
