Akashdeep Scores Four As BFC U18s Cement Top Spot In Karnataka-Andhra Zone

Bengaluru: Striker Akashdeep Singh scored four times as Bengaluru FC put on a dominant performance in a 6-1 beating of Boca Juniors Football School in an U18 Youth League fifth round encounter at the Centre for Sports Excellence, in Yelahanka, on Monday. Substitutes Rahul Rajan (89’) and Jagdeep Singh (90+1’) were also on the scoresheet while an own goal from defender Dalbir Singh (83’) handed Boca Juniors a consolation.

The win puts Bengaluru FC on 15 points, cementing their top spot in the Karnataka-Andhra zone, six points clear of second-placed Ozone FC (9 points).

After some half-chances early on, the Blue Colts broke the deadlock in the 9th minute. Midfielder Ronik Singh found striker Akashdeep with a neat through ball and the latter scored with a low powerful finish with his left past the rival goalkeeper.

Bengaluru, who controlled the proceedings after the early strike, kept pushing ahead and doubled their lead midway through the half. Once again it was Akashdeep who found the net, slotting home Dalbir’s cross in from the left on the half-volley.

A minute later, the hosts had a close chance of their own when Ojas Kamat’s curling freekick almost found the top-right corner, only for BFC ’keeper Tamal Naskar to pull off a good save.

The odd-chance didn’t trouble the Blue Colts as they struck another when Akashdeep rounded off a perfect hat-trick, climbing high to beat Boca Juniors ’keeper Marvin Paul with header from Tanmoy Saha’s corner.

Bengaluru picked up where they left off in the first half, following the restart, but the woodwork would deny them on multiple occasions. It was substitute Rahul Rajan, on for Manbhakupar, whose attempt was kept out by Marvin in the 56th minute, before substitute Jagdeep Singh and Rahul once again were denied by the frame past the hour mark.

John Kenneth Raj’s U18s finally got their fourth, and it was once again Akashdeep who found the back of the net. This time the striker controlled Tanmoy Saha’s cross in from the right at the far post before firing home from a narrow angle.

The hosts managed to reduce the deficit in the 83rd when Dalbir inadvertently put the ball in the back of his own net, past substitute ’keeper Deepak Saravanan, in an attempt to clear his lines. The Blues responded with two more goals, as Rahul Rajan finally got his goal in the 89th, tapping home Robin Yadav’s set up from the right. The latter had combined well with Arun Kumar and Lalrintluanga in the build-up.

Moments later, Jagdeep matched the scoreline from the reverse fixture, when he scored with a left-footed attempt from outside the box in the first minute of injury time to make it 6-1.

The Blue Colts will now face FC Mangalore in their sixth clash of the U18 Youth League, on November 20, in Mangalore.