The defending champions Bengaluru FC continued their late-season resurgence as they defeated high-flying Shillong Lajong 2-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong.
In a first half bereft of much action, the visitors took the lead in the 26th minute with a move that involved three attacking players. Marjan Jugovic’s pass back to Alwyn George was threaded through for Sunil Chhetri, who after a confident first touch, slotted home past the dive of a hapless Vishal Kaith in the Lajong goal.
Albert Roca’s men had a chance to double their lead when Juanan Gonzalez’s rare foray into the opposition half saw him steal the ball from Lajong midfielder Yuta Kinowaki but the Spaniard’s shot from distance was saved by Kaith.
The home side’s best chance of the half came from a free-kick taken by Issac Vanmalsawma that found the head of I-league’s top-scorer Aser Pierrick Dipanda, but the Cameroonian’s header was wide of Blues’ ’keeper Arindam Bhattacharya’s frame.
The Blues started the second half where they left off and it took just four minutes to double their lead as a deep cross from Nishu Kumar, after some good build-up play from the back, was headed home by Harmanjot Khabra for his first goal in a Blues’ shirt. Lajong brought on Brazilian striker Fabio Pena but John Johnson, Juanan Gonzalez and Salam Ranjan kept things clean at the back through the game.
Chhetri could have had a second in the 65th minute when he thumped his header from a Cameron Watson corner, just wide. In the second half, Lajong came closest to goal in the 90th minute when Issac looked to sneak in a strike into the top corner but Bhattacharya was equal to the task as Bengaluru went on to make it three clean sheets in as many games across competitions.
With this win, Bengaluru and Shillong both have 24 points from 16 games, but the former are ahead on the basis of their head-to-head record.