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Northern powerhouse Minerva Punjab FC were invited to play former I-League Champions and AFC Cup finalists Bengaluru FC at the Bengaluru FC Residental Academy, Vidyanagar, Bellary today.
Minerva Punjab FC coach Juan Luiz Perez fielded his full strength squad against the Blues who boasted names like Spaniard Juanan, Englishmen John Johnson, midfielders Dimas Delgado and Edu Garcia alongside former Venezuela international Nicolas Ladislao Fedor Flores (Miku).
The Mohali-based club Minerva Punjab FC started on a brilliant note as Mumbaikar Abhishek Ambekar took the first dig at the goal in the very first minute but was brought down on the edge of the box earning a free kick which was to no avail. The next few minutes in the game, the guests dominated the possession as they flodded the Bengaluru FC box with constant attacks, striker Girik Khosla came close to scoring on a couple of occasions along with William Opoko.
Their hardwork however finally paid off when in the 9th minute when William Opoko chipped in a brilliant ball to Bhutanese import Chencho Gyeltshen who slotted home the first for Minerva Punjab FC leaving the Bengaluru FC defence and dugout stunned. Right Back Kamalpreet Singh too displayed a rock solid performance as he dropped in some brilliant cross from the flank for Girik, Chencho and William on various occasions as their attempts missed the target by inches. Bhutan’s Chencho Gyeltshen doubled the lead for the visitors in the 32nd minute.
Bengaluru FC however pulled one back when their experienced Venezuelan international Nicolas Ladislao Fedor Flores (Miku) made it 1-2 just before the break following an exciting first half.
The game restarted with a couple of changes at both ends as Minerva brought in Souvik Das in favour of Girik Khosla and Abhishek Ambekar in favour of Rahul Das with Bengaluru FC’s Miku taking a long attempt at the goal on the stroke of the second half whistle but ocustodian Arshpreet Singh collected it comfortably launching a quick attack from the back via Kamalpreet Singh who fed it well to Chencho but the Bhutanese failed to convert the attempt.
Bengaluru FC held possession in the centre of the park trying to break the rigid Minerva defence but failed to do so on several occasions, but Venezuelan hitman Miku equalised for the home team following a deflected shot leaving the Minerva gaffer furious as he yelled instructions from the sideline reconstructing the Minerva attack. The Spaniards efforts paid off as Bhutan international Chencho Gyeltshen completed his hattrick making it 3-2 for Minerva Punjab FC bringing the visitors back into the lead. The match ended with the scoreboard remaining unchanged as Minerva Punjab FC emerged victorious against a highly experienced Bengaluru FC team.
With the win, Minerva Punjab FC maintain their 100% win record in the pre-season after having defeated Indian Air Force and now Bengaluru FC away in Bellary.
