I-League: Bengaluru aim for glory at home

The Sree Kanteerava Stadium was the venue of a dramatic end to the I-League season last year when defending champions Bengaluru FC had their hearts broken in the last five minutes of the campaign, Mohun Bagan snatching the title right at the death.

Call it poetic justice if you will, but life undeniably has a sense of humour. Eleven months later, at the same venue, the Men in Blue can bring the coveted title back to the city when they host Salgaocar FC in the penultimate round of the campaign.

Leading the table with 29 points, two points ahead of second-placed Bagan, a win on Sunday will clinch it for BFC, rendering their visit to Bagan a formality.

Then there is the chance to win the title in front of their home fans, a first in the club’s three-year history, and banish the demons of the past. And with their performances of late, the home side will surely fancy their chances. The Men of Steel are unbeaten in six league games and have hit their stride just at the right moment.

“We are at home. If you want to win it anywhere, you want to win it at home, in front of your fans,” BFC coach Ashley Westwood said on the day. “That’s the added spice in the game — to put on a performance for the fans to be proud of and cap off a good season.”

Salgaocar have had quite an impressive turnaround themselves under coach Santosh Kashyap, climbing out of the relegation battle, and are unbeaten in their last five games. But their laundry list of injuries are sure to take a toll.

The visitors will be without top-scorer Darryl Duffy, Calvin Mbarga, Gurjuinder Kumar, Clifton Dias, Gabriel Fernandes and Aslon Oliviera.

BFC have been bolstered by the return of midfield general Eugeneson Lyngdoh, who was on song against East Bengal, while the midweek performance from Alwyn George will give Westwood something to think about.

Thoi Singh and Michael Collins, who gave a standout performance in his last outing in a roving role, are also in contention.

With a deep pool of talent to choose from in the midfield department, it will be interesting to see which combination the gaffer will go with, keeping in mind the threat of Scotsman Martin Scott and Gilbert Oliveira.