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Blues round off AFC Cup campaign with 6-2 win over Maziya S&RC

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Blues round off AFC Cup campaign with 6-2 win over Maziya S&RC

Male, Maldives: Bengaluru FC’s frontmen had a field day at the National Stadium in Male, as Marco Pezzaiuoli’s side ended their AFC Cup campaign with a 6-2 win over Maziya S&RC, on Tuesday. Udanta Singh, Cleiton Silva and Leon Augustine scored first half goals, before strikes from substitutes Sivasakthi Narayanan and Bidyashagar Singh’s brace kept the Blues’ lead intact after Hamza Mohamed and Asadhulla Abdulla had pulled two back for the hosts.

Earlier, Pezzaiuoli made five changes to the team that was held to a goalless draw by Bashundhara Kings, handing starts to Sarthak Golui, Pratik Chaudhari, Rohit Kumar, Udanta and Leon, while goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu captained the side in the absence of Sunil Chhetri. On the other bench, Risto Vidaković made three changes to the Maziya team that lost to ATK Mohun Bagan.

The Blues started the game on the front foot and broke the deadlock just six minutes from kick-off when Sarthak and Leon combined down the right flank. The eventual cross from the Bengaluru right-back found Udanta arriving in the box, and the winger made no mistake in burying his header to put Bengaluru 1-0 up.

Only moments later, Pezzaiuoli’s men were knocking on the Maziya door again, through Udanta and then Leon. Rane’s attempted cross for Udanta was a yard ahead of him before Udanta’s cross found Leon, but the latter skewed his shot wide.

The Blues scored their second goal in fortuitous circumstances when Brazilian striker Cleiton Silva poked the ball home in the 19th minute. Attempting to collect a long punt, Maziya ’keeper Shareef misjudged the flight of the ball and Silva chased the ball down and scored from close range, past the reach of Shareef. Silva would put the ball in the back of the net once again on the half hour mark, only for the assistant to raise his flag for offside.

Maziya were forced into a change when Shareef was stretchered off and substitute custodian Mamatkhonov Mirzokhid was called into action. Mirzokhid’s first involvement saw him pick the ball from the back of the net, when Leon managed to beat the offside trap and slot home through  the Uzbek ’keeper’s legs to make it 3-0.

Leon came close to scoring his second of the game on the other side of the break, but Mirzokhid was well positioned to save his effort. Jesus Blanco was alert to make two crucial blocks right after, from Jayesh and Suresh, to deny the Blues a fourth.

Pezzaiuoli rang in the first of his five changes when Danish Farooq replaced Rohit Kumar, and made further substitutions later, sending on Ajay Chhetri, Bidyashagar Singh and Sivasakthi Narayanan. Maziya pulled one back in the 67th minute through Hamza, who beat the offside trap and slotted home past Pratik’s attempted tackle and Gurpreet’s stretch to make it 3-1. However, the Blues responded just three minutes later, as Sivasakthi latched onto a cross from Udanta with a neat touch and finish, for his first goal in Bengaluru colours.

Maziya reduced the deficit once again in the 80th minute, against the run of play, when Abdulla latched onto a pass from Mohamed and slotted home from close range. Udanta had a late chance to add to his exploits, but having controlled well and cut in on his left, his finish was found wanting. Keen to get in on the act, substitute Bidyashagar scored twice in seven minutes, both times from close range, to put the game beyond the reach of Vidakovic’s men.

The result confirmed a third place finish for Bengaluru, who ended their Group D campaign with four points from three games. The Blues are in action next at the 130th edition of the Durand Cup, having confirmed their participation in the tournament that’s set to take place in Kolkata, in September.

(Bengaluru FC Media)235

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AFC Cup

Blues to conclude AFC Cup campaign with clash against Maziya S&RC

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Bengaluru FC will look to end their AFC Cup campaign on a good note when they take on Maldivian side Maziya S&RC

Male, Maldives: Bengaluru FC will look to end their AFC Cup campaign on a good note when they take on Maldivian side Maziya S&RC at the National Stadium, in Male, on Tuesday. Although both sides are out of the running for the knockout stages of the competition, there’s much to play for with a win potentially lifting the Blues to second place on the group, while defeat will mean a bottom-placed finish.

“It’s true that Maziya have played two games and lost both, but we need to respect them as a team. We need to focus on our style and do our best against them. From the game against Tribhuvan Army FC in April to the one against Bashundhara Kings on Saturday, we have made several steps forward. Ours is a young team and we are looking to progress with each game we play,” Pezzaiuoli said.

The Blues fell 2-0 to ATK Mohun Bagan in their opening group stage clash before a goalless draw against Bangladesh Premier League champions Bashundhara Kings on Saturday. Despite the stalemate confirming their elimination from the tournament, Pezzaiuoli maintained that his side were eager to finish on a high.

“In football it’s not always about winning. Yes, we wanted to do well in the AFC Cup but it wasn’t to be. It was tough to accept, but we trained this morning and I saw good team spirit and mentality from my players. We are eager to do well and finish on a good note against Maziya,” the Italian added.

The Blues’ boss confirmed that winger Ashique Kuruniyan would continue to miss out, having suffered an ankle injury in their playoff clash against Club Eagles. In a bid to give minutes to different players across positions, Pezzaiuoli handed debuts to summer signings Danish Farooq, Bidyashagar Singh, Rohit Kumar, Jayesh Rane, Alan Costa and Sarthak Golui in the first two group stage games. B Team graduate Sivasakthi Narayanan also clocked his first minutes for the senior team.

Maziya, who began their AFC Cup group stage with a 2-0 loss to Bashundhara Kings, fell 3-1 to ATK Mohun Bagan on Saturday, confirming their elimination from the tournament. The Blues have faced Maziya six times in the AFC Cup, winning on four occasions, and losing twice.

Kick-off at the National Stadium, in Male, is scheduled for 9.30 pm IST and will be telecast live on the STAR Sports Network, Disney+Hotstar and JioTV.

(Bengaluru FC Media)

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AFC Cup

All to play for as Bengaluru face Bashundhara Kings in Male

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Marco Pezzaiuoli’s Blues Face Bangladesh Premier League Champions In Penultimate Group Stage Clash

Male, Maldives: Bengaluru FC Head Coach Marco Pezzaiuoli maintained there was no pressure on his side as they prepare to face Bangladesh Premier League champions Bashundhara Kings, in their penultimate Group D clash of the 2021 AFC Cup, on Saturday. Kings, who ran out 2-0 winners against Maziya S&RC in their first group stage game, will be eager to get the better of the Blues, who went down to ATK Mohun Bagan by the same scoreline.

An own-goal from Mohammed Irufaan, followed by a strike from Brazilian winger Robinho, sealed three points for Oscar Bruzon’s side in their opening clash against Maziya S&RC. Speaking to the press ahead of the encounter, Blues’ boss Pezzaiuoli said the Bangladeshi side were a force to reckon with, having made light work of their League campaign, which they secured with four games left to play.

“We’re up against a team from Bangladesh that scored 55 goals in the League and are champions. They conceded only nine goals in the League, and won their first group game 2-0. They score a lot of goals and have a strong defence, are compact at the back and counter very well. We might have to change things a little bit because this is our third game. Our plan will be to maybe go backwards a bit and create space behind them to score goals and create chances,” said Pezzaiuoli.

Bashundhara, who made their AFC Cup debut last season in a campaign that was cut short due to the COVID19 pandemic, retained the 2020-21 Bangladesh Federation Cup in January. Pezzaiuoli handed starts to Ajay Chhetri and Naorem Roshan Singh in the clash against ATK Mohun Bagan, while Leon Augustine, Parag Shrivas and Ajith Kumar came off the bench in addition to summer signings Bidyashagar Singh and Danish Farooq.

“In life you cannot be negative. I choose to take the positives from the previous game where we had almost 70% ball possession against ATK Mohun Bagan. I think we only need to improve in certain aspects. There is no pressure. Football is not about pressure. We enjoy the games, and I am sure every team wants to be the number one in the Group. We want to win, and so do Bashundhara Kings. We have worked hard in training, and focused on certain things. We want to better our free-kicks and corners, and create better chances and finish them,” Pezzaiuoli added.

Having made several new foreign signings in Raul Becerra, Jonathan Fernandes, Khaled Shafiei and Robinho (on loan from Fluminense), the Blues will have to be wary of Bashundhara Kings’ attack, with the BPL side scoring as many as 67 goals in all competitions this season.

Kick off between the Blues and Bashundhara Kings at the National Stadium is scheduled for 4.30 pm IST, and will be telecast live on the STAR Sports network, Hotstar and JioTV.

(Bengaluru FC Media)

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AFC Cup

Bengaluru go down 2-0 to ATK Mohun Bagan in AFC Cup opener

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Bengaluru go down 2-0 to ATK Mohun Bagan in AFC Cup opener

Bengaluru: A goal in either half, from Roy Krishna and Subhasish Bose, meant a first defeat for Bengaluru FC under Marco Pezzaiuoli, in the Group D opener of the 2021 AFC Cup, at the National Stadium, in Maldives, on Wednesday.

Marco Pezzaiuoli made two changes to the side that defeated Club Eagles, as Naorem Roshan Singh and Ajay Chhetri replaced Ashique Kuruniyan and Rohit Kumar. The Mariners, who had a busy summer transfer window, handed debuts to Amrinder Singh, Hugo Boumous and Deepak Tangri, while fellow new signings Liston Colaco, Bidyananda Singh, Ashutosh Mehta, Ricky John Shabong, Abhishek Suryavanshi and Kiyan Nassiri found themselves on the bench.

The Blues’ first effort of the game came with just four minutes on the clock when Suresh Wangjam and Roshan combined down the left flank to find Cleiton Silva, who picked out an unmarked Jayesh Rane with space outside the area. The midfielder’s effort, however, sailed wide of the post.

ATK MB’s first real opportunity of the game came midway through the first half when Boumous broke free on a counter-attack, shrugged off a challenge from Wangjam and managed to get a shot on target. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, however, got a strong hand to the strike and parried away.

Just past the half hour mark, the Mariners broke free again through Boumous, who played Krishna through down the left flank. The Fiji international’s attempted pass to David Williams was deflected into the Frenchman’s path, whose effort was blocked away Gurpreet’s outstretched leg. Antonio Habas’ side broke the deadlock in the 39th minute, with three foreign players combining. Carl McHugh’s header from a Boumous corner was diverted goalward from point-blank range by Roy Krishna, past a hapless Gurpreet.

Looking to get back into the game, the Blues made a change at the break as Danish Farooq replaced Ajay Chhetri. However, the Mariners doubled their lead just moments after the restart, when Williams found Subhasish in the middle of the box, who turned to find space and smashed the ball low and into the far corner.

Bengaluru’s first chance of the second period came in the 52nd minute, when Cleiton Silva’s swerving effort from the edge of the box forced Amrinder into a good save after Roshan and Wangjam had combined once again in attack.

Leon Augustine, on as a substitute for skipper Sunil Chhetri, looked to make a mark, but his run in the 77th minute was cut short by Sumit Rathi, who picked up a yellow card for the challenge. Cleiton’s effort from the resulting free-kick sailed off-target, without troubling Amrinder.

With ATK MB happy to sit back and defend their lead, the Blues threw men forward and dominated possession in the closing stages, but couldn’t find a way past the Mariners’ stubborn backline. Habas made further changes to his side as Bidyananda Singh and Liston Colaco made their bows, closing out what was a tough afternoon for the Blues in Asia.

The Blues will be back in action on August 21, when they take on Bashundhara Kings in their next group stage game, at the same venue.

(Bengaluru FC Media)

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AFC Cup

Blues lock horns with ATK Mohun Bagan as AFC Cup group stage commences

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Bengaluru FC AFC Cup

Male, Maldives: Blues’ Head Coach Marco Pezzaiuoli said his side would have to be at their best, with their Group D campaign in the 2021 AFC Cup set to begin with a clash against ATK Mohun Bagan, at the National Stadium, in Maldives, on Wednesday. Bengaluru, who defeated Club Eagles 1-0 in the playoff on Sunday, are grouped alongside ATK Mohun Bagan, Bashundhara Kings and Maziya S&RC, with only one team set to qualify for the Inter-zone playoff semifinals.

“Our last game was only two days ago, so it was a short recovery for the team. It’s not really an advantage, but I can see the glass either as half empty or half full, and I choose to see it half full. There was a good spirit and positive energy in the team after the win. We are happy to be in the Group Stage of this competition. This is a new game, a new start and we have a renewed focus. We need to be very sharp against ATK Mohun Bagan, because I am expecting an aggressive game,” said Pezzaiuoli, speaking at the pre-match press conference.

ATK Mohun Bagan, who qualified for the group stages of the competition by virtue of Mohun Bagan’s victorious 2019-20 I-League campaign, have recruited strongly since their defeat to Mumbai City FC in the 2020-21 Indian Super League final, and Pezzaiuoli believes the Blues will have their task cut out on Wednesday. The Kolkata-based side have added several players to their squad over the summer, including the likes of French midfielder Hugo Boumous, Amrinder Singh, Liston Colaco, Ashutosh Mehta, Bidyananda Singh and Deepak Tangri.

“ATK Mohun Bagan like to play a lot of long passes, go for the second ball and press high up on the pitch, which calls for a different approach from us. But they have also changed things in the summer, by bringing in a French foreigner (Hugo Boumous), among other players. This shows that they want to win the Indian Super League and the AFC Cup. We have to be in good spirit, show good focus and I am certain that we have a chance of winning tomorrow,” Pezzaiuoli added.

Jayesh Rane scored the only goal of the game when the Blues beat Club Eagles, and with only three games to play in the Group Stages, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu said the task at hand was one that required focus and commitment from all corners.

“It’s true that things are different this time, because there are fewer games to play in the Group. But it is still difficult, and we have to be focused. It was important for us to get into the Group Stage because we want to do well in Asia, as a club. Now it’s up to us to make sure we put on a good performance and try to do our best in each game,” said Gurpreet.

Kick-off between ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC is scheduled for 4.30 PM IST (4 PM local time) and will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network.

(Bengaluru FC Media)

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AFC Cup

Jayesh Rane on target as Blues enter AFC Cup group stage with defeat of Club Eagles

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Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC, on Sunday, ensured their progress to the Group Stages of the 2021 AFC Cup with a 1-0 win over Club Eagles at the National Stadium, in Male. Jayesh Rane’s first half strike proved to be the difference between the two sides, as Marco Pezzaiuoli’s side joined ATK Mohun Bagan, Maziya S&RC and Bashundhara Kings in Group D.

Pezzaiuoli handed full debuts to Alan Costa, Sarthak Golui, Jayesh and Rohit Kumar, with two other new signings, Danish Farooq and Bidyashagar Singh, named among the substitutes alongside B-team graduate Sivasakthi Narayanan. His counterpart Mohamed Shaazly was forced into a late change to his starting eleven, with Easa Ismail replacing Ali Ashfaq.

Club Eagles had the ball in the back of the net in the 17th minute, but Sarthak Golui had stepped up at the right moment to catch Easa offside. The Blues then broke the deadlock in the 25th minute through debutant Jayesh. Eagles failed to clear Sarthak’s long throw from the left and the ball fell to Jayesh, who placed his shot into the bottom corner through Haisham Hassan’s legs to put BFC 1-0 up.

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was called into action a minute before half time. From an Eagles corner, the ball took a deflection off Sarthak and was creeping in before the ’keeper reacted sharply to push it away.

Bengaluru controlled possession for a majority of the first period, and saw their lead into the break. Pezzaiuoli made no changes at half time, and it was Eagles who had the first chance of the second period, in the 67th minute, when Ali Fasir turned Sarthak and Alan in the box but scuffed his shot wide with just Gurpreet to beat.

Ashique Kuruniyan picked up a knock and was the first change of the night, replaced by Naorem Roshan Singh. Leon Augustine, on as a substitute, had a chance to double the Blues’ lead with his first touch of the game. Chhetri, who managed to retrieve possession in the box, saw Eagles ’keeper Mohamed Faisal off his line, and squared it to the 22-year-old. Leon’s shot, however, sailed over the bar with just six minutes left on the clock.

Despite a late flurry of attacks from Eagles, the Blues held firm to see out the game and seal their spot in Group D of the 2021 AFC Cup.

The Blues will be back in action on August 18 when they take on ATK Mohun Bagan in their opening group stage clash, at the same venue.

(Bengaluru FC Media)

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AFC Cup

Blues restart AFC Cup qualification bid against Club Eagles in Maldives

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Bengaluru FC players training

Male, Maldives: Bengaluru FC, on Sunday, will resume their bid to qualify for the group stages of the 2021 AFC Cup with a playoff clash against Maldivian side Club Eagles, at the National Stadium, in Male. A win will take Marco Pezzaiuoli’s men into Group D of the continental competition, where ATK Mohun Bagan, Bashundhara Kings and Maziya S&RC await.

Bengaluru, who made it through the Preliminary Stage Two with a comprehensive 5-0 win against Tribhuvan Army FC, landed in the Maldives earlier this week and began preparations for the clash. Should the Blues see off the Eagles, they will face ATK Mohun Bagan in their opening clash of Group D on Wednesday, August 18th.

“It’s not an easy situation to play in. This is the second time we are preparing for this game. We had a good four-week preparation at the Inspire Institute of Sport in Bellary, where we stayed in a bubble. It was a great facility with a fantastic ground, and now we are here in Maldives in another bubble,” said Pezzaiouli, speaking at the pre-match press conference.

The Blues have registered seven new signings in their AFC Cup squad, including defenders Alan Costa and Yrondu Musavu-King, while four more players from the club’s developmental squad have also made the cut.

“We are missing a few players for the game against Club Eagles. Prince Ibara has an infection and he hasn’t joined the team, Edmund Lalrindika has a back injury and Harmanpreet Singh has a muscle issue. I have 26 players available for selection and we want to make it to the next stage of this competition,” he added.

Eagles, in their maiden AFC Cup campaign, made their way to the playoff round of the competition owing to Abahani Dhaka’s withdrawal. Head Coach Mohaamed Shaazly’s side had progressed through the Preliminary Stage One with a 2-0 win over Thimphu City, courtesy goals from Hassan Ahmed and Mohammed Naim. In their recently concluded League season, Eagles finished fourth, with four wins, five defeats and five draws.

“We’re really thankful that we can finally play a match, and we are really looking forward to the game. We are just focusing on our team, and as players we are all eager to fight for a place in the first XI and give our coach a selection headache. After last season’s defeat to Maziya, we weren’t feeling well because we didn’t give our best. But this is a new campaign and we will strive to do our best,” said Blues’ skipper Sunil Chhetri.

Kick-off between the Blues and Club Eagles at the National Stadium, in Maldives, is at 8.30 PM IST.

(Bengaluru FC Media)

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AFC Cup

Bengaluru FC announce squad for AFC Cup playoff clash

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Bengaluru FC announce squad for AFC Cup playoff clash

Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC, on Monday, announced their 29-man squad for the 2021 AFC Cup playoff against Maldivian side Club Eagles, on August 15. Skipper Sunil Chhetri will lead the side, which includes as many as seven new signings.

Defenders Alan Costa, Yrondu Musavu-King and Brazilian striker Cleiton Silva make up the Blues’ foreign contingent, which also features six new Indian signings in Harmanpreet Singh, Jayesh Rane, Bidyashagar Singh, Sarthak Golui, Danish Farooq and Rohit Kumar.

The graduates from the club’s reserve side include goalkeeper Sharon Padattil, midfielder Muhammad Inayath, as well as strikers Akashdeep Singh and Sivasakthi Narayanan, who finished as top scorer in the Blues’ BDFA Super Division League campaign.

The Blues’ playoff clash against Club Eagles will take place at the National Stadium, in Maldives, on August 15. Victory in the playoff will send the Blues into Group D, which includes Indian Super League side ATK Mohun Bagan, Bashundhara Kings (Bangladesh) and Maziya S&RC (Maldives).

Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Lalthuammawia Ralte, Lara Sharma, Sharon Padattil

Defenders: Pratik Chaudhari, Wungngayam Muirang, Ajith Kumar, Ashique Kuruniyan, Parag Shrivas, Yrondu Musavu-King, Biswa Darjee, Alan Costa, Sarthak Golui

Midfielders: Suresh Wangjam, Namgyal Bhutia, Jayesh Rane, Danish Farooq, Rohit Kumar, Muhammad Inayath, Ajay Chhetri

Forwards: Sunil Chhetri, Udanta Singh, Cleiton Silva, Leon Augustine, Naorem Roshan Singh, Bidyashagar Singh, Sivasakthi Narayanan, Akashdeep Singh, Harmanpreet Singh

Head Coach: Marco Pezzaiuoli

Assistant Coach: Naushad Moosa

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Transfers

Bengaluru FC sign I-League top-scorer Bidyashagar Singh

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Bidyashagar Singh signs with Bengaluru FC

Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC have bolstered their attacking line up with the signing of Bidyashagar Singh on a three-year contract, the club announced on Wednesday. The 23-year-old Manipuri becomes the eighth signing of the summer, and joins the Blues ahead of the upcoming AFC Cup playoff stage clash against Eagles FC.

Bidyashagar, who came through the Tiddim Road Athletic Union FC youth system, joined East Bengal in 2016. He first came into prominence when he took the Kolkata side’s U18 team to the finals of the 2016-17 U18 I-League, scoring six goals, including in both semifinals and final. He was promoted to the senior team and made his mark in the 2019 Durand Cup, even scoring twice in a 2-1 win over the Blues in the group stage.

“Signing for Bengaluru FC is like a dream come true for me. Now that I am here, I want to achieve more for the club and for myself. I am eager to improve and to contribute to helping this team to continue the winning legacy that it has established. I know that I am surrounded by so many great players like Sunil bhai and Gurpreet bhai, and I want to learn from them and develop further,” said Bidyashagar, after putting pen to paper on his deal.

After making just 11 appearances in the I-League across two seasons, he returned to TRAU last year and his 12 goals, including two hat-tricks, took his boyhood side’s I-League title challenge to the final match day, with the team eventually finishing third in the standings.

“The opportunity to play for Bengaluru FC has arrived at the right time for me. Being in good form is very important for a striker and I would like to continue my good run here. My aim is to win trophies and to wear this club’s jersey with pride. I also want to do well here so that I can make it into our national team,” added Bidyashagar.

Comfortable playing on either flank, Bidyashagar became only the second Indian to pick up the I-League Golden Boot last season and in doing so, became only the fourth Indian to finish top scorer of a National League after Bhaichung Bhutia, Raman Vijayan and Blues’ skipper Sunil Chhetri. He was also named the ‘Hero of the Season’ and found a place in the I-League ‘Team of the Season.’

“Bidyashagar is a young player with a lot of potential. He is very eager to learn and make the next step and in the short time that he has been with us, he has shown us that he has the ability to score goals. The important thing now is to make sure he can bring his quality into our team and do that in the Indian Super League. He can play as a striker, as a winger and in behind the striker, which gives us a lot of options in attack,” said Blues’ Head Coach Marco Pezzaiuoli.

The Blues take on Club Eagles FC in their AFC Cup playoff clash, on August 15, in Maldives.

(Bengaluru FC Media)

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Transfers

Blues rope in Kashmiri frontman Danish Farooq

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Bengaluru FC announce the signing of Danish Farooq on a two-year contract

Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC, on Sunday, announced the signing of Danish Farooq on a two-year contract. The 25-year-old attacker, who is the first player from Jammu and Kashmir to sign for the club, has joined the Blues ahead of their upcoming AFC Cup playoff stage clash against Eagles FC.

Danish spent his youth career playing for the J&K Bank football academy, where he wore the armband across age groups and led them to as many as 12 titles. His performances earned him a move to Lonestar Kashmir in the I-League second division, and a season later to Real Kashmir.

“BFC is one of the best clubs in the country, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to be a part of it. My immediate challenge is to do well in the AFC Cup and the Indian Super League. My ultimate goal is to achieve success with the club and to grow as a player,” said Danish.

He was the side’s joint top-scorer in a campaign that saw the Snow Leopards clinch the I-League 2nd Division title and earn promotion to the top flight. In their first season in the I-League, Real Kashmir managed to finish third in the table, ahead of the likes of Mohun Bagan, Churchill Brothers and Gokulam Kerala FC.

“Having played with Real Kashmir for five years, I am glad to know that Bengaluru FC was monitoring my progress. When I got a call from my agent, who told me that BFC was interested in signing me, we felt it was the best option for me to grow as both a player and to showcase my talent at the highest level,” added Danish.

An attacking player by trade, the Kashmir-born player is adept at playing on the flank and has previously turned out in midfield. Having amassed as many as 48 appearances over the last three seasons in the I-League, Farooq has registered seven goals and five assists in that time. With Farooq in attack, Real Kashmir clinched the first major domestic title in the club’s history by winning the 2020 IFA Shield.

“Danish has the experience of playing in many positions; as a striker, a winger and gives us a lot of options in attack. He’s a good character, has gelled well with the team and with his style of football gives the team a bit of technical quality. Danish was the captain of one of his previous teams, and also brings a bit of his leadership onto the pitch” said Blues’ Head Coach Marco Pezzaiuoli.

Farooq’s acquisition marks the Blues’ seventh signing of the summer, ahead of their AFC Cup Playoff clash against Club Eagles FC on August 15th, in Maldives.

(Bengaluru FC Media)

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