I-League: Round 2 Review – Ranti Martins scores when he wants

Result of the round

Bengaluru FC 3-0 Rangdajied United

Photo Credit: Bengaluru FC

Bengaluru FC won the battle of the debutants to register their first-ever win in Indian football. They only had to wait for their second game to reach this milestone and the ease with which it came will certainly impress their growing fanbase. Both clubs had local players with limited I-League experience but the difference in the quality of the foreigners was evident while Bengaluru also had a certain Sunil Chhetri in their team.

The JSW-owned club dominated from start to finish and scored three excellent goals. Although they are immune to relegation, the Bengaluru club look good to stay well away from the drop zone on the evidence of their first two performances and the turnouts have also been encouraging with the club doing everything to make strides off the pitch as well with matchday programmes being the latest addition. However coach Ashley Westwood and the senior players will be well aware that the season is long and the youngsters will be tested heavily in away matches as well. But they couldn’t have wished for a better start.

Rangdajied United though look early favourites to be relegated. Coach Santosh Kashyap has done wonders previously with Air India and ONGC but the squad at the Shillong club lacks both quality and I-League experience. They have a few home matches to look forward now and that is where Kashyap would be looking to turn their fortunes and build some self-belief within the squad.

Best Players

Foreigner – Eric Brown (United SC)

Ranti remains the star of United SC and the I-League in general but Liberian Brown’s reputation has also got enhanced after the first two rounds. The former ONGC man matched his brilliant strike on matchday one with a great solo effort against Sporting Clube and looked lively throughout for the table toppers.

Indian – Beikhokhei Beingaichho (Bengaluru FC)

The former East Bengal man assisted two goals in his side’s 3-0 victory and was a joy to watch for the entire 90 minutes. Beikhokhaei showed immense potential while at East Bengal initially but then lost his way a bit. He looked rejuvenated for Bengaluru FC on Sunday and will be aiming to build on that for the rest of the season.

Controversy

This column is much smaller compared to last week which is encouraging but there was something repeated from the first round as once again there was an ambulance mishap. This time Shillong Lajong were the culprits as the kickoff of their home game against Pune FC was pushed back because there was just one ambulance in the ground instead of the mandatory two. Like Mohammedan Sporting last week, Lajong will be fined for this incident. Interestingly Pune FC were the away team on the previous occasion also (surely co-incidence).

The Table

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points	GD
United SC	2	2	0	0	6	+4
Bengaluru FC	2	1	1	0	4	+3
Shillong Lajong	2	1	1	0	4	+3
Pune FC	2	1	1	0	4	+2
Salgaocar	1	1	0	0	3	+1
Mumbai FC	2	0	2	0	2	0
Mohun Bagan	2	0	2	0	2	0
Churchill Brothers	2	0	1	1	1	-1
Sporting Clube	2	0	1	1	1	-2
Dempo	2	0	1	1	1	-3
East Bengal	0	0	0	0	0	0
Mohammedan Sporting	1	0	0	1	0	-2
Rangdajied United	2	0	0	2	0	-5