Giemkarponn desk
Panaji: Sporting Cube de Goa suffered a 0-1 defeat against Sporting Club Bengaluru in the I-League 2 at Bangalore Football Stadium, Bengaluru, on Sunday.
Shravan Shetty scored the decisive goal in the first half for the home team.
Sporting had a golden opportunity to level terms in the second half, but substitute striker Mark Carvalho couldn’t convert from the penalty spot.
Sporting remained in the third place of the standings with 10 points after seven games. Bengaluru are second with 15 points while FC Bengaluru United lead with 16 points.
Sporting head coach Armando Colaco made a couple of changes to his starting 11 as former international Adil Khan started for the first time this season in the centre of midfield.
The Goan side made a promising start as Ivon Costa showed promise with his long-range left-footer but his effort sailed inches over.
However, soon, at the other end, Bengaluru took the lead in the 28th minute when Sayyad Umair slid in a through ball between Joyner Lourenco and Klusner Pereira for Shravan Shetty, who rushed inside the box and did just enough to get the better of keeper Antonio da Silva.
In the second half, Sporting showed more urgency and made a double substitution with Mark Carvalho and Shelton Nickson coming in.
Sporting earned a penalty at the hour mark when Bengaluru custodian Neeraj Kumar brought down Biswa Darjee inside the box. Mark stepped up but unfortunately, missed from the spot.
Thereafter, Sporting tried hard to regroup and went all out but it was simply not their day.
Dheeraj Chouhan had one last chance but his header off a cross from Kunal Kundaikar hit the crossbar in added time.
Sporting will next face Sudeva Delhi FC on March 30.
