The Islanders lost to a set-piece goal from Sunil Chhetri in the second half, when the Bengaluru FC forward headed home from a corner to hand the Blues a victory. The two sides meet again in Bengaluru on Sunday for a place in the final of the ISL.
With this win, Grayson and his Bengaluru FC side continue their red-hot form in 2023 as they extend their winning streak to 10 games. Whereas, League Shield winners Mumbai City FC are yet to win a match after their 5-2 win over FC Goa, where they secured the shield. Sunil Chhetri scored the
Sunil Chhetri came on as a substitute and found the back of the net in the 78th minute to give the Blues a vital advantage ahead of the second leg in Bengaluru on Sunday.
Bengaluru FC defeated Kerala Blasters 1-0 in extra time in the first knockout fixture to make it into the semi-finals. Interestingly, it was the Blues who inflicted the first defeat of the season on Mumbai City FC subsequent to their Shield triumph after going 18 games unbeaten.
The fixture promises to be a spectacle, with two of the most in-form teams of the league going head to head. Mumbai City FC clinched the League Winners' Shield, while Bengaluru FC are only unbeaten team in 2023 and are on a record nine-match winning streak.
The momentum is certainly with the Blues as they head into the semi-final on the back of a nine-game winning streak, but face a tough challenge against the League Shield Winners in their upcoming tie.
The League Shield winners concluded the league stage with two back-to-back defeats, including one against Bengaluru FC, and will look to end the visitors' nine-game winning streak to carry an advantage to the second leg on Sunday
Looking ahead to the semifinals, head coach Des Buckingham spoke about how the squad is gearing up for a knockout clash after they finished top of the table at the end of the ISL League Stage.
Sunil Chhetri scored a free-kick in extra-time, following which the Blasters FC decided to forfeit the game. The result ensured that Bengaluru FC advanced to the semi-finals, where they will face League Winners Mumbai City FC over two legs.
This is the Mariners' third season in the ISL, and they have qualified for the playoffs each time. For the Juggernauts, this is new territory and they will also need a first-ever win against ATKMB to secure a semi-final spot
Riding on the back of eight consecutive wins in the ISL league stage, Bengaluru FC will take the pitch with momentum in their favour. The Blues dropped no points in the league stage during this calendar year and made a memorable comeback to book a spot in the playoffs, a streak which include
Having finished fifth in the ISL standings, the Blasters will square of against fourth-placed Bengaluru FC, with a semi-final spot at stake. The winner will go on to face league shield winners Mumbai City FC in a two-legged semi-final