FOOTBALL | Bengaluru, Punjab set up a winner-takes-all clash

Ryan Williams ran the show as Bengaluru FC (BFC) thrashed Gokulam Kerala FC (GKFC) 4-0 in their AIFF Super Cup Group C match at the PJN Stadium, here on Sunday.

Williams scored twice and set up another, while Vinith Venkatesh and Sunil Chhetri found the net once each.

BFC opener arrived in the seventh minute. Sirozhiddin Kuziev threaded a through pass into the final third for Williams, who ran past his marker, Harpreet Singh, and found the bottom-left corner to break the deadlock.

BFC doubled its lead just before half-time when Taorem Kelvin Singh’s minus was steered into the net by Vinith. Three minutes into the second half, Nikhil Poojary found Williams, who blasted it in for a third.

The Blues still needed a goal to level the difference with provisional group topper Punjab FC (PFC), and that arrived after the hour mark when Chhetri overlapped with Braian Sanchez, before converting from close range.

In the other Group C match earlier in the day, Punjab FC (PFC) beat Mohammedan Sporting Club (MSC) 3-0 at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim.

New signing Samir Zeljkovic netted his first goal for PFC, while Ninthoinganba Meetei (Ninthoi) and Manglenthang Kipgen also got on the scoresheet to help their side maintain a perfect record in the tournament.

Ninthoi opened the scoring, converting from Kipgen’s through ball, and then assisted Zeljkovic before half-time.

After the hour mark, PFC delivered the sucker punch when Leon Augustine set up Kipgen, who struck home to put the competition to bed.

The two matches set up a winner-takes-all contest at the PJN Stadium, with PFC locking horns with BFC on November 5.

The results: Mohammedan SC 0 lost to Punjab FC 3 (Ninthoi 27, Zeljkovic 43, M. Kipgen 73); Gokulam Kerala 0 lost to Bengaluru FC 4 (Williams 7, 48, Vinith 44, Chhetri 62).