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Bengaluru FC began their 2024 Durand Cup campaign with a comprehensive 4-0 win against the Indian Navy Football Team at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, in Kolkata, on Wednesday. Goals from Rahul Bheke and substitute Sunil Chhetri in the first period gave the Blues a 2-0 lead before Argentine striker Jorge Pereyra came off the bench to score a second half brace to wrap things up.
Earlier, Zaragoza named Bheke as the Blues’ stand-in captain for the Group B opener, with Ryan Williams and Sivasakthi Narayanan in attack. Spanish midfielders Pedro Capo and Alberto Noguera were handed their first minutes in a Bengaluru FC shirt as Diaz, Chhetri and Chinglensana Singh found themselves on the bench.
The Blues stepped on the pedal from the first whistle, and saw them create an opening from the very first move of the game. Not long after, Bengaluru continued their onslaught, creating multiple chances within the first ten minutes. Blues’ forward Sivasakthi combined with Noguera to have his first shot on goal but the attempt lacked power as Vishnu managed to clear the ball away for a corner.
It was Bheke who broke the deadlock on what was his second debut for the club, with a towering header nodded home from Noguera’s inch-perfect delivery into the box. Zaragoza’s side had the opportunity to double their lead when Sivasakthi got a shot away from the edge of the box, but his effort went in vain, striking the woodwork on its way out.
The Blues were forced into making a chance with five minutes left in the first period with Sivasakthi forced off with a niggle. Chhetri, not long after making his way onto the pitch, was handed a spot-kick after Williams was impeded in the box by Navjot, who was handed his marching orders. The skipper made no mistake from 12 yards out, putting his penalty past the reach of Vishnu to double the lead.
Into the second half, Zaragoza rang in two changes bringing on Diaz and Chinglensana for Aleksander Jovanovic and Shivaldo Singh. Bengaluru continued to pile on the pressure and found inroads on several occasions, but lacked precision in the final third. Chances fell for Williams, Fanai and Noguera, but bore no fruit.
With just over a quarter of an hour left to play, the Blues made further changes, calling upon Academy graduate Vinith Venkatesh, who made his debut after coming up the BFC Player Development Pathway, having joined the club at just 8-years-old, in 2013. It was Vinith’s take from a corner that would lead to the Blues’ third, with Chhetri clipping the ball over for Diaz to nod home in the 81st minute.
Bengaluru would put a seal on things in the first minute of added time after Capo’s lift over the Navy defence sent Diaz free, allowing the Argentine time and space to finish past Vishnu to make it 4-0.
With the result, the Blues moved to the top of Group B, two points ahead of Mohammedan Sporting, who drew against Inter Kashi earlier. Zaragoza’s men next face Inter Kashi at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan on Saturday, August 3 at 7pm.
