ISL 2017/18: Bengaluru FC - One level above the other teams in the league
The victory over the Kerala Blasters in the south Indian derby at the Indian Super League (ISL 2017/18) on March 1 confirmed that Bengaluru F.C. will finish on top of the table with 40 points. This does not sound great until you get to know that the team, which is second, is 11 points behind them. This shows the quality the team possesses, and how even in their first season in the ISL they are favourites to win the title.
The team from the Silicon Valley of India is the first team ever to score 40 points a single Indian Super League season.The Indian Super League has a different format when compared to other leagues -- here the teams battle out for a top four finish.
The top four teams qualify for the semi-final knockout stages and then compete for the most coveted prize in Indian football. Even though the main aim for a team is to hold on to a spot in the top four of the league, one cannot deny the dominance of Bengaluru F.C. in the Indian Super League.
In the league stage, which consists of 18 games, BFC finished the league much above any other team. Out of a possible 54 points, they took 40 points, which is the maximum by any team in the ISL.
On the course of the league stage, they beat every team in the competition. They are unbeaten in the last twelve games of the league and are the first team to win more than 10 games in a single season. There are a number of records broken by Albert Roca’s men in their debut season itself.
Jamshedpur F.C. and Bengaluru F.C. were the two teams which were added this season.The club from Bengaluru was formed in 2013 with an aim of putting India on the global football map. The club has never gone tophy less till now, they won the I-League in their debut season and again in 2016. They have also won the Federation Cup twice, first time in 2015 and then again in 2017.
It took two goals in stoppage time by Miku and Udanta Singh respectively, for them see off their South Indian rivals Kerala Blasters. The result confirmed that Bengaluru F.C. became the first team to earn 40 points, in a single ISL season.
The team led by Sunil Chhetri will be looking to win the Indian Super League in their debut season and take the trophy to Bangalore. In 2017, the club became the first Indian Club to reach the finals of the AFC Cup.
Even though the club is new as compared to other big clubs in India, the decision making of the club has taken them to a high stature sooner than any one expected.
The most vocal fan base in India
When it comes to the fans, the West Block Blues are the most vocal fan bases in India. The atmosphere at the Kanteerva Stadium is always simply electrifying. The West Block Blues have become the benchmark, when it comes to fanbases in India. The chants, the songs, the appreciation and their support makes them standout from the rest of the fanclubs in India.
With rumours of Bangalore hosting the ISL final, the main focus of the club will be to win the Indian Super League in their home town. Be it on the pitch or off the pitch, the Bengaluru boys look one level above the other teams in the Indian Super League.