Sivasakthi, Chhetri score a goal each in their 2-0 win over Sporting Club Delhi
Bengaluru: Last season’s runner-up Bengaluru FC began its ISL 2025-26 campaign with a controlled 2-0 win over debutant Sporting Club Delhi at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Sunday.
The hosts dictated tempo from the outset. Ryan Williams and Ashique Kuruniyan tested Vishal Yadav inside the opening five minutes, with the Sporting goalkeeper tipping Ashique’s header over the bar. Bengaluru enjoyed territorial dominance but had to wait until the brink of halftime to make it count.
The breakthrough arrived in first-half stoppage time. Roshan floated a ball towards Nikhil Poojary, who cut it back across goal for Sivasakthi to finish from close range, giving the home side a deserved lead.
Sporting showed greater urgency after the restart but struggled to carve open a compact Bengaluru backline marshalled by Rahul Bheke. Augustine came closest before the break, forcing Gurpreet Singh Sandhu into a sharp save, and late in the second half substitute Alan Saji headed wide from a promising position.
Bengaluru, meanwhile, continued to threaten in transition. Sanchez remained lively between the lines, while Vishal denied him again with a low stop from distance. The introduction of Sunil Chhetri in the 78th minute added experience to the frontline as the game stretched in the closing stages.
The decisive moment came deep into added time. After clearing a Sporting corner, Bengaluru broke swiftly through Siroj. Chhetri latched onto the forward pass, rounded the advancing goalkeeper with a deft touch and, from nearly 30 yards, guided a left-footed strike into an unguarded net via the post.
