GROUP H: JSW BENGALURU FC 5-3 AYEYAWADY UNITED

Bangalore: A second-half brace from Alwyn George helped JSW Bengaluru to a thrilling 5-3 victory over Myanmar’s Ayeyawady United in the AFC Cup on Wednesday as the Indian side leapfrogged their opponents into second place in Group H.

Bengaluru took a deserved lead through C.K. Vineeth only for Thiha Zaw to level things up on the stroke of half-time. George and Seiminlen Doungel gave the hosts a two-goal cushion but a double from Christopher Iyikwobe looked to have given Ayeyawady a share of the spoils only for Beikhokhei Beingaichho and George to net further strikes.

“We do our homework at the club, we study videos and we knew exactly what we needed to do to win the game,” said Bengaluru coach Ashley Westwood. “Just as long as we didn't make too many mistakes which we did make a couple and I knew we'd score goals.

“I had faith in the Indian boys. I'm not sure but I think that's the first time an all-Indian side has won an AFC Cup game and that’s something I'm really proud of and something they should be proud of. We scored five goals at home and we can’t ask for too much more" 

Bengaluru were in the ascendency from the off and made their dominance count when Vineeth intercepted a careless backpass by San Myo Oo to poke the ball past outrushing goalkeeper Vanlal Hruai before slotting into an empty net on 20 minutes.

Bengaluru pressed for a second but, against the run of play, Ayeyawady equalised in the 44th minute when Iyikwobe laid the ball back to Thiha Zaw, who coolly curled into the bottom right corner from the edge of the area.

The I-League leaders started the second half as they did the first and regained the lead on the hour when Vishal Kumar’s low cross from the right was finished by George at the second attempt after his initial strike was parried out by Vanlal Hruai.

Bengaluru then looked to have put the outcome beyond doubt midway through the half when Doungel outpaced the Ayeyawady backline to smash home from inside the penalty area.

The visitors, though, were not done yet and Iyikwobe fired low into the bottom right corner from just outside the box on 69 minutes to give his side renewed hope.

And the Nigerian then registered his fifth goal of the continental campaign eight minutes later when goalkeeper Lalthuammawia Ralte allowed the striker’s effort from the left side of the to squirm under his body and into the back of the net.

But the end-to-end encounter took yet another twist with 10 minutes remaining when substitute Beingaichho tapped home Vineeth’s cross before George completed his double by firing into the roof of the net to wrap up the scoring a minute from time.

"Because of the result in today's match, it is not possible for us to qualify for the next round,” said Ayeyawady coach Kyaw Lwin. “Bengaluru will play Lao Toyota at home, which is a big chance, and also we will play Johor Darul Ta’zim in our home ground.

“We have to travel to Laos so it is not possible for us to get six points in the next two matches, so it is impossible to qualify for the next round.”