Bengaluru FC and Aizawl FC subject to penalties by AFC
What's the story?
Bengaluru FC and Aizawl FC have been known to give Indian football some great memories over the past couple of years in the Indian Super League (ISL) and the I-League respectively, but the two top sides have come under the scanner for totally different reasons in recent times.
It is now being reported that Bengaluru FC have been slapped with a penalty by the AFC for allowing two unauthorised persons to enter the pitch premises in a recent encounter against New Radiant FC. Not to be left far behind, North Eastern outfit Aizawl FC have also garnered action by the AFC, having been subjected to a fine following their recent clash where the team picked up five yellow cards in one game.
In case you didn't know...
Aizawl FC went on a giant-killing run like no other in the 2016-17 edition of the I-League, in which the newbies pulled off a historic win against all odds. They played the 2018 AFC Cup and AFC Champions League play-off round as well this year. Bengaluru FC have enjoyed success of their own as of late, dominating the latest edition of the ISL up until the final, which they were beaten by Chennaiyin FC.
The heart of the matter
According to reports, the fine on Bengaluru FC is $3000 for their part in the incident that resulted in unauthorised persons on the pitch in their March 12 match against New Radiant.
Aizawl FC too, have been slapped with a similar fine of $2500 for their team's blatant disregard for discipline in their AFC Cup tie against New Radiant where the North Eastern side picked up the win.
What's next?
The two teams may not dispute the decision but the AFC has a tendency of coming down hard on any violations making it a fine line for teams to tread on.
Do you think the fines were valid? Let us know in the comments section.