AFC Cup final: Bengaluru FC falls short in the final hurdle after a 0-1 loss to Air force club
Tournament top scorer Hammadi Ahmed’s 71st-minute strike condemns blues to a heartbreaking 0-1 defeat as a dream run to the AFC cup final comes to an end with Iraqi side Al Quwa Al Jawiya lifting the trophy.
It was an important night for both clubs as they made their first final appearance in the AFC Cup, Asia’s equivalent of Europa cup. But star Iraqi striker Hammadi Ahmed second half goal became the difference on the night as Blues went down in a gritty affair.
Apart from a forced substitution in Lalthuamawia Ralte replacing suspended Amrinder Singh, Roca deployed the same personnel’s that took the field against Johor in a 4-2-3-1 formation. For Air force club, Samal Saeed a 19-year-old midfielder and Resan Booniyan were suspended and so Ahmed Kadhim and Emad Majeed replaced them lining up in a 4-3-3 formation.
After a slow start where both sides looked to get into a groove, Air force with better Possession got the first sniff at goal, when they earned a free kick from around 35 yards out. The resulting Amjad’s free-kick went over the bar. In the 12th minute, Blues had a chance too, when Rino Anto’s cross from the right was cleared at the far post by Sameh Saeed before the lurking Sunil Chhetri could take any advantage.
In the 17th minute Johnson did ever so well to deny Hammadi a shot on goal. Although the defencive pair was good, Bengaluru failed to string attacking moves with few misplaced passes. In the 24th minute, Chhetri’s lofted through ball for Lyngdoh, just at the edge of the box was timely intercepted by Ali who headed it out of danger.
In the meantime, the Falcons had to make a forced substitution as Tareq went down injured with Osama Mohammed coming in as a replacement. At the half hour mark, Blues created a really good chance when Alwyn George’s cross from the right was headed a fraction wide by an onrushing Lyngdoh.
At the 40th minute mark, Blues custodian made a crucial save when Radhi, after a delightful through ball by Hammadi, beat the offside trap and just had to cut the ball back but his weak pass was well intercepted by Ralte. Blues slowly began to come into the game with some possession over ball stitching up few good passes but failed to make that final finishing move as half ended at 0-0.
Also Read: Bengaluru FC – The Untold Journey
Second half began in similar fashion, starting slow before the Iraqi side began dominating play. In the 51st minute, Radhi did well to isolate himself from Rino inside the box, but his shot on the turn went over the bar. Two minutes later, Hammadi missed the target after Ssaeed had fed him the ball.
In the 55th minute, Chhetri, after trapping the ball from Juanan kick, did well to drag Saaed towards him as he played the ball for an onrushing Eugeneson, whose left-footed strike was blocked by the Air Force defenders.
In the 62nd minute, Ralte came up with another good save, when he held on to a Radhi’s header at the far post from a corner. A minute later Sunil Chhetri from down the left had an opportunity to cross the ball at the lone player at far post but his shot went over the bar.
Soon Roca made a double substitution, with Len and Udanta replacing Alwyn George and Nishu, who had a rough day on field. Switching to 3-5-2 formation, Blues looked for more possession and to make some inroads. A corner ensued for blues, which went straight at Chhetri at far post whose first time shot was blocked by the Air Force defence.
Finally in the 71st minute, Air Force managed to break the deadlock, when Radhi made his way into the box dribbling past Johnson and Rubio before cutting it back for Hammadi to tap it in with Ralte off his line. Minutes later, falcons almost doubled the lead when Emad set up Radhi for a goal but was flagged offside.
Goal seemed to awaken the Iraqi club as they pulled up another move, when Radhi tried to curl the ball in for a distance as the ball missed the target by whiskers. Soon Roce made his third substitution bringing in Salam Ranjan Singh for tiring Rubio.
Blues had a golden chance at the far end of time when they were awarded a free kick for a foul on Udanta, Watson’s delivery was aimed for an unmarked Vineeth at the far post but the striker miscued his effort completely.
With time ticking on, Johnson began taking chance getting in to the attacking third. On one occasion doing well to take the ball inside opponent’s box only to go down and let slip the ball.
In the final moments before whistle, Blues almost created a chance when a lofted cross from right was caught by Air Force custodian, who had to jump full stretch at his near post with Johnson just behind to capitalize on the mistake.
As the whistle blew the game ended with the score 0-1 in favour of Air Force Club, who had been a dominating side throughout the tournament with tournament top scorer Hammadi Ahmed once again finding the net. For Blues it was a bittersweet ending to a dream run as they scripted history to become the first Indian club to play in AFC cup finals, something that has made the whole country proud.
Air Force Club 1 (Hammadi Ahmed 71′) – 0 Bengaluru FC
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