Kolkata, March 22 (NationPress) A remarkable second-half performance from Braian Sanchez propelled Bengaluru FC to a 3-1 triumph over Inter Kashi in the Indian Super League 2025-26 at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan on Sunday. The first half saw Ashique Kuruniyan give Bengaluru the lead, only for Alfred Planas to equalize for Inter Kashi.

The Blues ascended to fourth place in the league table with 11 points from six matches, while Inter Kashi lingered at eleventh with just five points. Braian Sánchez earned the title of Player of the Match for his decisive contributions.

Under the guidance of Renedy Singh, Bengaluru made an aggressive start, dominating possession early on. Left winger Ashique Kuruniyan tested Lluis Tarrés in the 10th minute, and midfielders Sirojiddin Kuziev and Sánchez both had near misses with long-range shots shortly thereafter.

In a display of individual skill, Ashique dispossessed Inter Kashi captain Sumeet Passi in the 20th minute, surged forward, and struck powerfully with his left foot into the top-left corner, putting Bengaluru ahead 1-0.

Bengaluru continued to apply pressure, with Tarrés making a stunning save to keep the scoreline intact before Namgyal Bhutia was ruled offside. Inter Kashi managed to find an equalizer in the 38th minute when Alfred Planas scored expertly from within the box, bringing the score to 1-1.

As the teams went into halftime, both sought the breakthrough, but the first half ended evenly balanced.

The second half saw a similar trend, with Bengaluru striving to regain control, while Inter Kashi posed threats on the break. Planas had a chance immediately after the restart, and Sunil Chhetri tested Tarrés before heading narrowly wide as Bengaluru sought to take the lead.

Inter Kashi nearly scored through Prasanth Mohan in the 65th minute, but his header went off target. Just minutes later, Bengaluru regained the lead in the 69th minute. Following a free-kick from Kuziev, Tarrés mishandled the ball, allowing Sánchez to head into an open net, making it 2-1.

In the closing moments, Bengaluru pressed for a greater margin, with Vinith Venkatesh and Kuziev both failing to hit the target from distance. Inter Kashi kept pushing for an equalizer, with Rohit Danu coming close late on, but the visitors couldn't convert.

In stoppage time, Bengaluru sealed their victory. Tarrés made an error, gifting the ball to Sánchez, who capitalized with a long-range shot to net his second goal and finalize the score at 3-1. The final whistle confirmed a convincing win for Bengaluru FC, who took home three points, continuing their strong campaign in the league.