Sunil Chhetri of Bengaluru Football Club during match 54 of INDIAN SUPER LEAGUE played between Bengaluru FC Vs Kerala Blasters FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on 11th April 2026. Photo: Prathiksha MK / ISL
Bengaluru FC – 1 (Fallou Ndiaye 28’ OG)
Kerala Blasters FC – 2 (Víctor Bertomeu 60’, Francisco Feuillassier 79’)
Bengaluru, Saturday, April 11, 2026: A spirited second-half comeback saw Kerala Blasters FC secure their first victory of the Indian Super League 2025-26 season with a 2-1 win against 10-man Bengaluru FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday, April 11, 2026. After an own goal from Fallou Ndiaye handed Bengaluru the lead, Víctor Bertomeu restored parity before substitute Francisco Feuillassier struck the decisive winner. The result lifts Kerala Blasters to 13th in the standings with four points, while Bengaluru FC remains in fifth with 14 points. The Tuskers made a positive start and nearly took the lead in the seventh minute when centre back Fallou Ndiaye’s header was comfortably saved by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Moments later, Ebindas Y fired wide from a distance, as the visitors looked threatening early on.
Bengaluru gradually grew into the contest, with Ryan Williams proving a constant outlet down the right flank. The winger’s delivery caused problems for the Kerala defence, and Sunil Chhetri came close in the 23rd minute, heading wide from a Nikhil Poojary cross. Williams then tested Arsh Shaikh a minute later with a driven effort from the right side of the box. The breakthrough arrived in the 28th minute through an unfortunate moment for the visitors. Williams once again burst past his marker and delivered a dangerous ball into the centre; Fallou, attempting to intervene ahead of Chhetri, inadvertently diverted it into his net to give Bengaluru the lead. The match took a dramatic turn in the 34th minute when Braian Sánchez was shown a straight red card for violent conduct following an altercation with Matías Hernández, reducing the hosts to ten men. The Kerala Blasters attempted to exploit their numerical superiority, led by Kévin Yoke, but Bengaluru’s defence, led by Chinglansana Singh, remained resolute, maintaining a narrow lead into the break.
After the restart, the Blues continued to threaten on the counter, with Williams again going close in the 49th minute. Winger Ashique Kuruniyan also forced a strong save from Arsh Shaikh as the hosts looked to extend their advantage despite being a man down. The Tuskers, however, began to assert control and were rewarded with a goal in the 60th minute. Ebindas threaded a precise through ball to Víctor Bertomeu, who showed composure to guide a right-footed finish into the bottom-right corner, bringing the visitors level. With momentum on their side, the Blasters continued to press, and their persistence paid off in the 78th minute. Substitute Francisco Feuillassier made a stylish debut in the ISL, receiving another incisive pass from Ebindas, weaving past his marker, and finishing from a tight angle through Gurpreet’s legs to give Kerala a 2-1 lead.
Bengaluru pushed forward in the closing stages, with substitutes Monirul Molla and Williams leading late attacks, but Kerala’s defence stood resolute. Arsh Shaikh produced a crucial save in stoppage time, while Bikash Yumnam made an important clearance to preserve the lead. The final whistle confirmed a hard-fought 2-1 victory for Kerala Blasters FC, their first of the season, as they showed resilience and composure to overturn the deficit against a spirited Bengaluru side.
