Kolkata, March 23: Bengaluru FC secured a convincing 3-1 victory against Inter Kashi in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 season, thanks to a stellar performance from Bryan Sanchez, who netted two goals in the second half. With this win, Bengaluru FC climbed to fourth place in the standings with 11 points from six matches, while Inter Kashi remained at the 11th position with five points. Sanchez was named ‘Player of the Match’ for his outstanding contribution.
The match, held at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, saw Bengaluru FC start strongly, dominating possession early on. Left winger Ashik Kuruniyan tested Inter Kashi’s goalkeeper Luis Tarres in the 10th minute, followed by attempts from midfielder Sirojiddin Kuziyev and Sanchez, both of which failed to find the net.
The visitors were rewarded for their efforts in the 20th minute when Ashik intercepted the ball from Inter Kashi’s captain Sumit Pasi. He surged forward aggressively and unleashed a powerful shot with his left foot, finding the top-left corner of the goal to give Bengaluru a 1-0 lead.
Bengaluru maintained their pressure, but Tarres made a crucial save to deny them a second goal, and Namgyal Bhutia was ruled offside. However, Inter Kashi equalized in the 38th minute when Alfred Planas scored with a composed finish inside the box, making it 1-1. Both teams pressed for a goal before halftime, but the score remained level.
The second half mirrored the first, with Bengaluru attempting to regain control while Inter Kashi posed threats through counter-attacks. In the 65th minute, Inter Kashi’s Prashant Mohan came close to scoring, but his header went wide. Just four minutes later, Bengaluru regained the lead when a free-kick from Kuziyev was poorly punched by Tarres, allowing Sanchez to head the ball into an empty net, making it 2-1.
In the closing moments, Bengaluru sought to extend their lead, but both Vineet Venkatesh and Kuziyev missed opportunities from distance. Inter Kashi continued their pursuit of an equalizer, with Rohit Danu coming close, but the hosts held firm.
In stoppage time, Bengaluru sealed their victory when Tarres gifted the ball to Sanchez, who scored from distance, marking his second goal of the night and finalizing the score at 3-1. The final whistle confirmed Bengaluru FC’s impressive win, earning them three points on the road and maintaining their strong momentum in the competition.