In the lead-up to Saturday's fixture at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Karim Bencherifa had spoken of wanting to ‘leave a mark’ with this bunch of Pune FC players. Taking down the I-League champion on its own patch was not a bad way to begin.
Bengaluru FC distinctly lacked rhythm and verve as Pune blew the home side away 3-1 with goals from new imports Darko Nikac and Luciano Sobrosa and the India U-23 international Thongkhosiem Haokip. Eugeneson Lyngdoh pulled one back late on.
Bencherifa lauded his new recruits, stating Nikac had been signed precisely to counteract ‘physical’ sides like BFC.
Ashley Westwood rested Sunil Chhetri and Robin Singh from his starting line-up, citing a steadily rising workload. Josh Walker, deemed unfit only on Friday, and left-back Lalchhuanmawia started instead, in a reworked 4-1-4-1.
The opening goal was the culmination of a simple move right through BFC's spine. Arata Izumi slid a cross-field ball into Nikac's path and the Montenegro striker took his chance with aplomb.
A free-kick by Portuguese midfielder Edgar Marcelino — seen in action with FC Goa in the ISL — was headed in by Brazilian centre-half Luciano Sobrosa for the second.
Westwood felt his team needed time to adapt to the ball speed on natural grass, having been used to slower artificial turfs.
Chhetri was brought on soon, and enlivened proceedings with a late header that whizzed past the bar. Robin then came on at half-time and busied himself in the box, but BFC still lacked any appreciable creativity. In the 82nd minute, Haokip, made amends for an astonishing miss earlier when he swept in a cross.
Lyngdoh's strike was consolation but BFC was condemned to its second ever I-League defeat at home.
The results:At Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC 1 (Eugeneson Lyngdoh 89) lost to Pune FC 3 (Darko Nikac 9, Luciano Sobrosa 25, Thongkhosiem Haokip 82).
At Pune: Bharat FC 0 drew with Dempo SC 0.
