ISL semifinal: Bengaluru FC beat FC Goa 2-0 in first-leg

It is advantage Bengaluru FC as they beat FC Goa 2-0 at home in the first-leg semifinal of the Indian Super League on Wednesday. The Blues will thus head into the second game of this fixture with a two goal advantage on aggregate.

 Bengaluru FC was in control despite Goa having better ball possession. The winners registered five on-target shots despite holding just 42.2% of the possession.

They got the breakthrough in the 42nd minute with Edgar Mendez leading the charge for them through his consistent lateral deliveries. One such incisive cross, directed for the onrushing Williams at the centre, was instead met and hammered in by FC Goa defender Sandesh Jhingan, resulting in an own goal adjudged to his name.

Williams returned the favour in the 51st minute as he added dynamism to a Bengaluru FC offensive move through a slick pass that pierced the Gaurs' backline in one go and landed at the feet of Namgyal Bhutia. The latter squared in a low cross for Mendez and the attacker made light work of that with a straightforward tap-in to the bottom right corner, resulting in the home side doubling their lead.

FC Goa had their chances in the final quarter of the game. Aakash Sangwan curled in a perfectly weighted cross for Onaindia in the 76th minute, which the defender headed way high above the target despite being positioned inside the six-yard box.

Boris Singh compelled Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to make an outstretched save seven minutes later, as the Indian attacker received a pass from Iker Guarrotxena at the edge of the box and immediately targeted for the top right corner.

Sandhu was quick to spot the attacking sequence and made a timely effort to keep the Gaurs at bay.