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ISL 2018: With no away goal, Bengaluru FC braced for FC Pune City at home
Twice I-League champions and Indian Super League table-toppers after the regular season, Bengaluru FC will hope they can ward off FC Pune City’s challenge in the second leg semi-final.
It is always a daunting task for any opponent to visit the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore considering the impressive home record Bengaluru FC have built over the years. This season has been no exception as they lost just two games at home in the league stage.
The two-time I-League winners will be looking to cash in on home advantage once again when the Indian Super League (ISL) debutants take on FC Pune City in the second leg of their semifinal on Sunday.
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Bengaluru FC will start the game at a slight disadvantage after the first leg in Pune ended in a goalless draw. Not scoring an away goal will be a worrying factor as the hosts will have to stay alert against the talented FC Pune City attack. They are have a number of injury concerns ahead of the second leg as they will miss the services of Baljit Sahni, Nishu Kumar and new recruit Victor Perez.
However, Bengaluru FC are no strangers to high-pressure matches. They have already won two Federation Cup titles, and in 2016 became the first Indian club to reach the AFC Cup final. As a result, coach Albert Roca is quite confident his players are ready to handle such situations.
“If I tell you something different, it will not be the truth. Yes, there is pressure on the team. But these boys have played big games before. We have players who have played AFC Cup semifinals, finals and Federation Cup finals. The intention is to go out there and do our best,” Roca said on Saturday.
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RESURGENT PUNE
On the other hand, this is a completely new experience for FC Pune City. Since the inception of ISL, they had never finished above the sixth position and their goal-scoring record was one of the worst ever in the league. But that has changed completely this season with Ranko Popovic’s men showing great character from the start of the campaign.
Their two new signings - Emiliano Alfaro (9 goals) and Marcelinho (8 goals) - have been impressive throughout the season and thanks to their heroics, FC Pune City were able to reach the playoffs for the first time with a game to spare and with the third-best scoring record.
Assistant coach Vladica Grujic, attended the media conference as coach Ranko Popovic is suspended for his comments against match officials. He acknowledged his team’s performances in the initial stages of the league, but pointed out that they can’t afford to underestimate the hosts.
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“We’ve played well this season and our players are quite confident. But Bengaluru FC are a very strong team and we cannot take them lightly. We will surely be playing for a win tomorrow,” Grujic said.
