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Bengaluru FC qualified for the National group stage of the 2022-23 Reliance Foundation Development League, ending their group stage campaign with a 2-2 draw against Chennaiyin FC at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Friday. Goals in the second half from Monirul Molla (53′) and Satendra Singh (72′) helped the Blue Colts to a point at the end of what was a pulsating contest.
Ahead of the game, Bengaluru FC head coach Kaizad Ambapardiwala made seven changes to the squad that started the Blue Colts’ previous game against Sreenidi Deccan FC.
It was Chennaiyin FC who opened the scoring in the 14th minute through Zomuansanga, when the midfielder caught Bekey Oram unawares, and sent an effort into the top corner past Bengaluru FC keeper Dipesh Chauhan.
Pushed back by the opener, Bengaluru FC looked to restore parity and came close on plenty of occasions. But, their efforts were thwarted time and again in the final third, with resolute defending by the Chennaiyin FC backline.
Ahead of the restart, Ambapardiwala made three changes, bringing on Satendra, Monirul and Damaitphang Lyngdoh to replace Basudev CM, Bekey and Tomthinganba Sanjenbam.
The changes bore fruit as Monirul drew the Blue Colts level in the 53rd minute with a brilliant strike from nearly 25 yards out. The forward picked up a long ball and turned on a sixpence to get past his marker before scoring a screamer that flew past Chennaiyin FC goalkeeper Devansh Dabas’ full-length dive and into the top corner.
Bengaluru FC were the better team in the second half and made their supremacy count by taking the lead in the 72nd minute through Satendra’s neatly-placed finish. The forward’s burst of pace found him get behind the Chennaiyin FC backline, and slot home with aplomb for his fifth goal of the campaign.
In a bid to sustain the Blue Colts’ lead, Ambapardiwala once again turned to his bench, bringing on Kamalesh Palanisamy in place of Harmanpreet Singh. With less than a quarter of an hour left to play, both sides were reduced to ten men when tempers flared between Amay Morajkar and Tondon Meitei, prompting the referee to send both players off.
Into added time, and with the points seemingly in the bag, the Blues were made to settle a point when Chennaiyin FC winger Joseph Lalvenhima’s effort from distance found the back of the net to salvage a point for the visitors.
Bengaluru FC ended their group stage campaign undefeated, with 15 points from seven games.
