Bengaluru FC came back from a goal down to finish 1-1 in the first leg of their AFC Cup semi-final against defending champions Johor Darul Ta'zim in Malaysia on Wednesday. Eugeneson Lyngdoh's stunning strike in the second half leveled scores as Bengaluru FC left Malaysia the happier team after Johor Darul Ta'zim went into the lead with Pereyra Diaz's header.
Ta'zim were all over Bengaluru in the first half and created a host of chances on the break. A combination of excellent last-ditch defending and poor finishing saved the hosts as chances went begging one after another. The battle was fierce in midfield, and tempers went flying at regular intervals. Alvaro Rubio was not able to stride forward from end to end and cover ground, and that exposed Bengaluru's high-line
Cameron Watson put his body on the line to block a goal-bound shot. Minutes later, winger Azniee Taib inexplicably skewed a shot wide from the left with only Amrinder Singh and the goal in front of him. Chettri got a sniff early in the second half but his shot from just outside the area was straight to 'keeper.
Safiq Rahim took a corner from the left and Pereyra Diaz nodded the ball home in the 52nd minute. Just four minutes later, Lyngdoh, out of nowhere, unleashed a ferocious long-ranger to level scores. Bengaluru tightened the screws at the back in the final quarter of the game, and there was little in the way of clear-cut chances for both teams in front of a packed, boisterous crowd at the Larkin Stadium. The second leg is on October 19 in Bengaluru.
Scores:
Johor Darul Ta'zim 1 (Pereyra Diaz) draw with Bengaluru FC 1 (Eugeneson Lyngdoh)