BFC gets crucial AFC Cup win in Myanmar

The margin of victory could have been wider had C.K. Vineeth and Udanta Singh taken their chances, but manager Ashley Westwood will easily take the win, for even a draw could have put his team’s chances in jeopardy.

After picking up the ball on the edge of the box Chhetri found Udanta with a flick, who, in turn, played a cut back to the skipper. Chhetri seemed to have failed to connect cleanly but managed to wrong foot the goalie.

Sunil Chhetri’s 34th-minute strike gave Bengaluru FC a vital AFC Cup win over Ayeyawady United on Wednesday. The result, coming on the back of two defeats in the competition, puts Bengaluru joint-second in Group-H alongside Ayeyawady and Lao Toyota.

The margin of victory could have been wider had C.K. Vineeth and Udanta Singh taken their chances, but manager Ashley Westwood will easily take the win, for even a draw could have put his team’s chances in jeopardy.

Westwood started with a back-four which had Keegan Pereira partnering John Johnson in the centre for a third straight game, as regular centre-half Curtis Osano had not recovered from a groin strain. There were also starts for Alwyn George and Siam Hanghal in midfield along with Chhetri and Michael Collins, while Udanta and Kim Song Yong led the line.

It was in fact Chhetri himself who started the move which culminated in the goal. After picking up the ball on the edge of the box; he found Udanta with flick, who, in turn, played a cut back to the skipper. Chhetri seemed to have failed to connect cleanly but managed to wrong foot the goalie.

Bengaluru will now have a fortnight’s break before it hosts Mumbai FC on April 2 in the I-league.

The result: Bengaluru FC 1 (Sunil Chhetri 34) bt Ayeyawady United 0.