Skipper Sunil Chhetri led from the front with a solitary first-half strike as India’s Bengaluru FC eked out a 1-0 win over Ayeyawady United of Myanmar in the AFC Cup football on Wednesday.
The Indian football team captain scored in the 34th minute of the Group H game at the Yangon Youth Training Centre, as Bengaluru claimed their first win of their campaign this season. The Indian outfit could have added two more goals, but CK Vineeth and Udanta Singh were not lucky enough as they narrowly missed the targets. Bengaluru are now placed third in the group with three points. Udanta should have doubled the lead around the final 10 minutes when he raced through on goal only to see his effort miss the target with just the home custodian to beat. After an even opening 45 minutes, Bengaluru opened the scoring when Chhetri struck the ball into the back of the net from 12 yards.
The home side pushed for the equaliser in the second half, but Yangon were unable to breach the Bengaluru backline as the I-League side held out to take full points.
While in another contest, High-flying Mohun Bagan maintained their record intact as they rode on striker Jeje Lalpekhlua’s double strikes to notch up a 3-2 win over Myanmar’s Yangon United in the AFC Cup football here.
Sony Norde and Lalpekhlua put the hosts ahead inside 25 minutes before Brazilian Marcelo Fernandes pulled one back for Yangon before the interval at the Indira Gandhi Stadium.
Forward Fernandes then scored again to draw Yangon level 19 minutes after the restart only for Lalpekhlua’s second of the night two minutes later to win the tie for the I-League side. Mohun Bagan currently top the group G on nine points from three games, five ahead of both Yangon and Maziya Sports & Recreation after the side from the Maldives defeated S China 2-1.