AFC Cup | Chhetri's brace takes Bengaluru FC to quarters
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Sunil Chhetri scored a brace as Bengaluru FC came back from behind to grab a 2-3 win over Kitchee SC in their round-of-16 AFC Cup clash at the Mong Kok Stadium in Hong Kong on Wednesday. 18-year-old Daniel Lalhlimpuia scored the winner in the 2nd half after 4 goals were scored in a frantic 1st half.
Bengaluru FC XI: Amrinder (GK); Osano, Johnson, Collins, Chhetri (c), Anto, Lyngdoh, George, Udanta Singh, Lalchhuanmawia, Daniel Lalhlimpuia
Kitchee SC XI: Wang Zhenpeng (GK); Recio, Lam Ka Wai, Lo Kwan Yee (c), Li Ngai Hoi, Annan, Del Burgo, Tarres Paramo, Huang Yang, Sham Kwok Keung, Kim Taemin
With Mohun Bagan knocked out last night at the hands of Tampines Rovers in extra time, Bengaluru FC remained India's only representative in the tournament. The Blues were missing two players for this fixture—CK Vineeth with a sore shoulder and Kim Song Yong due to visa issue. They were also missing Ashley Westwood, who is serving his four-game suspension, from the touchline with technical analyst Mathew Holland taking his place.
The game started at a frantic pace with home side take an early lead. Spanish forward Rufino headed in a brilliant at the far post in the sixth minute to open the scoring. The Hong Kong-based side dominated the starting moments of the game, before Bengaluru, eventually, gained their footing on the match.
The newly crowned I-League champions were given a lifeline in the 30th minute, when Eugenson Lyngdoh was brought down inside the box by a rash challenge by Hoi and the referee was not hesitant to point to the spot. Sunil Chhetri stepped up to take the resultant penalty kick and he made no mistake in finding the back of the net to make it 1-1.
That goal stunned Kitchee and even before than could recover from its shock, Bengaluru took the lead just two minutes after scoring the equalizer. It was Chhetri once again as he produced a lovely volley inside the box, after the Kitchee defence failed to deal with a cross from Rino Anto from the right wing.
However, Bengaluru were not able to hold onto their lead for any considerable amount of time as Kitchee equalized in the 41st minute. A lovely buildup from the back saw the ball, eventually, reach Christian Annan at the edge of the box. The Hong Kong forward played a lovely through ball to put Jorge Tarres through on goal. The Spaniard skipped past a challenge from Curis Osano, before finding the top corner of the net with an emphatic finish.
Both the teams went into the half-time break tied at 2-2 after a frantic 45 minutes of football and the goal mouth actions continued in the second half as well.
Bengaluru took the lead for the second time in the match as Kitchee shot themselves in their foot. Annan, who created Kitchee's second goal with a wonderful pass, created Bengaluru's third goal with an awful back pass. His pass back to the goalkeeper was intercepted by Daniel Lalhlimpuia at the edge of the box, who then managed to smuggle it past the on-rushing goalkeeper, before finding the back of the net of an empty goal to make it 2-3.
