BENGALURU, SEP 14 :  Bengaluru FC began their 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL) season with a narrow yet decisive 1-0 victory over East Bengal at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday. The match was defined by an early goal from the club’s latest star, Venkatesh, who made a dream debut.
The pivotal moment arrived in the 25th minute, when a well-worked move saw Mendez deliver a deft pass to Venkatesh. Positioned on the right side of the box, the 18-year-old forward calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner, leaving East Bengal’s goalkeeper, Gill, with no chance.
With this clinical finish, Venkatesh not only secured the win but also etched his name into the club’s history books, becoming Bengaluru’s youngest-ever goal-scorer.
Despite taking the lead, Bengaluru were put under considerable pressure as East Bengal, led by their talismanic Brazilian forward Cleiton Silva, fought relentlessly in the second half. Time and again, East Bengal pushed forward, with Vishnu testing Gurpreet Singh Sandhu from range, only for the Bengaluru goalkeeper to make a comfortable save.
As the clock ticked down, frustration mounted for East Bengal. In the 87th minute, Lalchungnunga, who had already been cautioned earlier in the match, was sent off after a reckless challenge on Williams. This dismissal only heightened the tension, with Cleiton earning a yellow card for arguing with the referee. Reduced to 10 men, East Bengal’s hopes of salvaging a point from the game were all but dashed.
Bengaluru made several substitutions as they sought to consolidate their slender lead, with veteran striker Sunil Chhetri being replaced by Jorge Diaz in the 61st minute. Chhetri had played a vital role in setting up the goal, but Bengaluru’s focus shifted towards shoring up their defence as the match woreon.
The home side showed great resilience in the final moments, including eight minutes of injury time, holding firm to secure their first three points of the season. After the match, Bengaluru’s head coach, Simon Grayson, was full of praise for his side. “It’s crucial to start the season with a win, and the lads showed real grit today. Venkatesh’s goal was a special moment, and the defence did their job when it counted,” Grayson remarked.
For East Bengal, it was a case of missed chances and costly errors. Reflecting on the match, their coach, Carles Cuadrat, acknowledged his team’s shortcomings. “We had opportunities, but we didn’t take them. The red card hurt us, but we’ll come back stronger,” Cuadrat said.
With this opening victory, Bengaluru FC will look to build momentum as the season progresses, while East Bengal will be eager to bounce back from this early setback.(UNI)