KOLKATA: Bengaluru FC left it late to edge past Mohammedan Sporting 2-1 at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season on Wednesday, November 27, 2024. The Blues now have registered a win against all three Kolkata clubs this season.

It was Cesar Manzoki, who handed the hosts an early lead but Key Performer of the Match, Sunil Chhetri, came on as a substitute and scored two goals to see the visitors return home with a win. He became the first player to score against all the 15 ISL teams and now also leads the league in scoring the most spot-kicks (20) in the competition’s history.

A positive start by Mohammedan SC bore fruit for the home team as they opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Manzoki rose high to head the ball home from Kasimov’s corner. It was a goal straight out of the training ground as the marksman repaid Andrey Chernyshov’s faith in him by netting his first goal of the season.

In the 53rd minute, Gerard Zaragoza decided to bring on Sunil Chhetri to add more attacking impetus. The move allowed Jorge Pereyra Diaz to switch to a wider role with Chhetri taking the central position.
In the 82nd minute, Manzoki brought down Capo in the penalty box to reward the Blues with a perfect opportunity to equalize. Chhetri stepped up and hammered the ball into the extreme left corner to bring Bengaluru FC back into the game.

In the end, Bengaluru FC eventually took the lead in the dying moments of the match when Chhetri stepped up from Lalremtluanga Fanai’s cross to head the ball home past Bhaskar in goal.

Mohammedan Sporting will travel to Jamshedpur to face the Men of Steel on December 2, while Bengaluru FC will face Odisha FC on December 1 at the Kalinga Stadium.

(Courtesy: ISL Media Team)