Bengaluru FC vs Mumbai City FC: Dominant Blues, controversial penalty and other talking points

The Blues put on a clinical performance against the Islanders to end their season.

Indian Super League (ISL) club Bengaluru FC move onto the semi-finals of the playoffs after a 5-0 hammering of the former ISL champions Mumbai City FC. The game which was played at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru was full of big moments for the home side, who will be facing FC Goa in their next game.

Contrastingly, the visitors never got going as their first shot on target came during the second half of the game. A game featuring several big names, it was the Blues who stepped up in the big occasions. Goals from Suresh Singh Wangjam, Edgar Mendez, Ryan Williams, Sunil Chhetri, and Jorge Pereyra-Diaz put the result beyond doubt for the West Block Blues.

However, the game was not void of controversy over the 90 minutes as some decisions made during the game divided fans. Let us look at some of the talking points from Bengaluru FC’s emphatic win over the Islanders:

Should Bengaluru FC have gone down to 10-men in the first minute?

The palpable intensity and build-up to the game made it clear that it was always going to be a feisty affair between the Blues and the Islanders. With Mumbai kicking off the game after the toss, Blues forward Edgar Mendez nearly charged through Yoell Van Nieff, leaving the Islanders midfielder on the ground.

Several replays of the incident suggested that Mendez could have avoided taking out the Dutch midfielder with the ultra aggresive charge. The possibility of a card was also not out of the question for the Spaniard, who was lucky to be on the pitch following the incident. Looking back, the moment could have had a devastating impact on the result.

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A controversial penalty incident costs Mumbai

One of the big moments from the first half was Valpuia’s challenge on Blues winger Ryan Williams in the box, with the latter going down and earning a penalty. While the decision seemed fair in real-time, the replays told a different story for the neutral fans.

The slow-motion angles showcased the Mumbai City defender winning the ball before fouling Williams, who dangled a leg just ahead of the player. A soft decision that led to Edgar Mendez’s penalty, which the Spaniard slotted to make it 2-0 for the home side three minutes before the break. A huge moment for Petr Kratky’s side, which went against them on a night of few positives.

A five-star Blues performance ahead of FC Goa encounter

A season filled with questions over team’s consistency and over-reliance on veteran players, Gerard Zaragoza got a rousing response from his men. The Spaniard will be pleased with the team performance ahead of a tough test against FC Goa, who have remained an enigma this season.

In the two regular season games, FC Goa has drawn one and won once against the Blues, with the latter being keen for some payback on Wednesday (April 2). The Blues have shown the squad depth they possess and it seems the club is hitting form at the best possible time.

With the two-legged semi-final affair fast approaching in April, Gerard Zaragoza will be keen to put his best foot forward against Manolo Marquez and FC Goa. The Blues will be looking to fight till the final whistle as they hunt for their second ISL title this season.

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