Naushad Moosa’s Boys Reclaim Top Spot In BDFA Super Division League

Bengaluru: Defender Mohammad Rafi (62’) scored the winning goal just past the hour mark as Bengaluru FC claimed a 1-0 victory over Bangalore Independents in a Round 8 clash in the BDFA Super Division League, on Saturday. In a game of two halves, Coach Naushad Moosa’s Blue Colts put a patchy first-period performance behind them to claim all three points, sending them back to the top of the table in the League.

Earlier, Moosa rang in one change from their previous game, an 8-0 win over Dream United, as Amay Morajkar took Bekey Oram’s in the team. Starting on the offensive, Bengaluru found the going tough as Independents defended deep, hoofing the ball away from the back as the Blue Colts tried to find inroads. Morajkar came closest to breaking the deadlock when he was played through in the box, but his effort was on the wrong side of the angle of the post.

With the scores unchanged at the break, Bengaluru began the second half with renewed vigour, as Leon Augustine and Naorem Roshan Singh attacked their flanks. Biswa Darjee came close to opening the scoring, but his attempt from close was over the crossbar after Ajay Chhetri’s free-kick was spilt by Insamam Ul Haque in the Independents goal

The breakthrough came in the 62nd minute when, after Leon Augustine was brought down on the right flank, Ajay Chhetri whipped in a cross towards a crowd. Improvising in his position, Rafi flicked it goalward with his heel past a hapless Ul Haque to give Bengaluru a deserved lead. Bengaluru could have added a second to their tally later in the game but Kima’s knockdown into a dangerous area in the box from another Chhetri free-kick fell to an Independents shirt and was cleared away.

Bengaluru’s next BDFA Super Division clash is against Income Tax on December 17th.