AFC Cup 2018 : Transport United vs Bengaluru FC, 5 Talking Points

The Blues now need a win to progress when the Bhutan champs come calling at the Fortress in a week. Read the report on our website. #TRAvBEN #AFCCup2018 #WeAreBFC https://t.co/eeOZ1xHqNn

— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) January 23, 2018

ISL leaders Bengaluru FC couldn't find the net as they now face the uncomfortable task of having to defeat Transport United in order to advance to the Playoff-round of this year's AFC Cup.

While the Blues were solid at the back during their goalless draw with Bhutan's champions, they may live to regret their wasteful finishing, as they now have all to play for in the second leg at Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

While some players impressed during the match, there are also negatives to take away, as we look at the five main talking points of the game.

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#1 Lalthuammawia Ralte - The Captain

Blues head coach Albert Roca dropped Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and chose Lalthuammawia Ralte as the first-choice goalkeeper for the match, he even appointed him as the captain of the side.

With Ralte being demoted to the bench after the arrival of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu prior to the start of the ISL, this promotion to the first team was a big chance for him to prove himself and he certainly did

With a clean sheet to his name, Ralte was one of the many standout performers for the Blues in the game.

Ralte was dropped from the main squad after the arrival of Amrinder Singh in the previous season as well, after being between the posts for Bengaluru in their initial years. The goalkeeper has always been consistent in his outings and his biggest revelation was when he was chosen above Singh in the historic AFC Cup Final in 2016.

With such performances, Lalthuammawia Ralte will always remain a trustworthy backup to use during potential goalkeeping problems for the Blues.

#2 Prashanth Kalinga - The Rising Blue

Prashanth Kalinga in action for Bengaluru's youth team

Hailing from Gowthampura in Bengaluru, a colony that eats, drinks and breathes football, Prashanth Kalinga has been a towering force at the back in the Bengaluru reserve side.

Part of Bengaluru's youth system since 2015, the youngster was promoted to the main squad for the Qualifying Stage of the AFC Cup, as coach Roca looked to bench some of the first-team players and provide some much-needed match practice to the reserves.

Kalinga started the game and was very influential at the back. With brave tackles and timely interceptions, the youngster put in a good shift.

Kalinga's solid performance in this match will provide him some necessary exposure to pressure situations and will be pivotal for him, when he takes the field for the Blues in the upcoming I-League Second Division.

#3 Wasteful Daniel Lalhlimpuia

Couldn't take his chances: Daniel

The experienced, yet young, striker got several chances at the front, but could not find the net during the match. With brilliant assists from Toni Dovale, Lenny Rodrigues and Malsawmzuala, Daniel had multiple clear-cut chances but failed to hit the target from close range.

With exposure to Asia and a chance to retain his place in the main team, Daniel had pressure on himself to prove what he's made of.

However, with the game ending goalless and the Blues now needing to play four matches within twelve days against strong teams, Daniel may not get many chances due to a large, competitive squad which will decrease his opportunities to prove himself again in the near future.

#4 Will Bengaluru's young squad cost them?

The Blues fielded a very young side in Bhutan.

With almost the entire Indian Super League squad left behind in Bengaluru, a very young team was taken to Bhutan for the Asian Challenge. Substitutes in the Indian Super League, reserve team members and academy graduates were called upon to step up to the plate.

Toni Dovale, Lenny Rodrigues and Alwyn George were the only ISL regulars to play against Transport.

The youngsters Nishu Kumar, Prashanth Kalinga, Zohmingliana Ralte, Boithang Haokip, Daniel Lalhlimpuia, Cletus Paul and Thongkosiem Haokip all got chances to prove themselves in this game.

Despite much-needed match practice being provided to the players, it has left BFC facing an uphill task in the second leg due to the extreme fixture congestion. It will be interesting to see how Roca rotates his squad in the upcoming matches to maintain parity among the players and keep them match-fit.

#5 Dominant Midfield and Discipline

Toni Dovale was a live wire on the field.

The most impressive performance by the Blues in this game has to be by the midfield. With Lenny Rodrigues and Toni Dovale taking charge along with Alwyn George, the forwards got plenty of chances to convert, but simply couldn't do so.

The presence of many Spanish players and coaches has left a Spanish influence on the style of play and it was largely evident today. Incisive passing among the players saw the home side clueless on how to put a break on the Blues' onslaught.

The BFC players were also extremely disciplined throughout the game, with none of them making their way into the referee's book.