Bengaluru FC get past Aizawl 3-1

Guwahati, April 5: Goals from Daniel Segovia, Rahul Bheke and Daniel Lalhlimpuia ensured Bengaluru FC maintained a perfect start to their Group E campaign of the AFC Cup with a 3-1 win over Aizawl FC at the Indira Gandhi Stadium here on Thursday.

Trailing after an early setback, Albert Roca's boys kept their calm and went about staging an assured comeback that now sees them with six points from two games.

The Spaniard underlined the faith he had in the squad that has been getting more than just the job done for the Blues in this season's continental campaign so far, by ming Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh and Udanta Singh among others, on the bench.

Bengaluru got off to a poor start under the rain conceding inside five minutes. Skipper Lalthuammawia Ralte, who rushed ahead to clear a through pass from Andrei Ionescu aimed at attacker Albert Zohmingmawia, found his effort come off striker Leonce Dodoz and roll into an empty net to give the hosts a lead in the fifth minute.

The visitors filly made the huge chunk of possession count at the stroke of half time. Erik Paartalu's header from a Bengaluru corner caught the hand of Dodoz in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Segovia stepped up to calmly slot home his first goal since joining the club in the middle of the season, to make it 1-1 in the 45+1 minute.

Second half substitute Lalhlimpuia got his second of the campaign in the 77th minute. Setting off on a run down the left with the ball, Bose squared the ball perfectly for Lalhlimpuia who took a touch before slotting past Paul who could maybe have done better to keep it out.

Lalhlimpuia could have got his second of the night after some fantastic work by George saw him tee up the striker. But this time, Paul got enough of a hand on the ball to keep it out.

Bengaluru now host Maldivian side New Radiant SC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on April 10. IANS