Bengaluru FC produced a commanding display to thrash Gokulam Kerala FC 4-0 in their AIFF Super Cup Group C encounter at the PJN Stadium on Sunday, keeping their semifinal hopes alive and setting up a mouth-watering final group clash against Punjab FC.
Australian midfielder Ryan Williams was at the heart of everything for the Blues, scoring twice and assisting another in a performance full of energy, creativity, and clinical finishing. Vinith Venkatesh and skipper Sunil Chhetri added one goal each in a dominant outing that showcased Bengaluru’s attacking depth.
The game started in electric fashion for Simon Grayson’s men, who capitalized on Gokulam’s early sluggishness. Just seven minutes in, Sirozhiddin Kuziev split the defence with a precise through ball to Williams. The midfielder darted past Harpreet Singh and finished calmly past goalkeeper Rakshit Dagar into the bottom-left corner.
Gokulam tried to respond through a set piece soon after, but Harpreet’s header from Alfred Moya’s corner went narrowly wide. Bengaluru kept pressing and nearly doubled their lead when Brian Sanchez found himself in space, only for Gursimrat Singh to block his shot at the last second.
Their persistence paid off in the 35th minute when Williams turned provider. Collecting the ball on the left, he combined with Taorem Kelvin Singh, whose low cross found Vinith Venkatesh. Harpreet slipped during his attempt to clear, allowing Vinith to smash the ball home and celebrate in trademark ‘Jude Bellingham’ style.
Bengaluru resumed the second half with the same intensity and struck again just three minutes after the restart. Nikhil Poojary’s long pass found Williams in stride, and the midfielder made no mistake, taking advantage of the slippery conditions to slot in his second and make it 3-0.
The fourth goal arrived after the hour mark when captain Sunil Chhetri expertly converted Brian Sanchez’s cross from the left, rounding off a superb night for the Blues. The goal also helped Bengaluru match Punjab’s goal difference, setting up a high-stakes encounter between the two sides on November 5.
Earlier in the day, Punjab FC continued their flawless run with a 3-0 victory over Mohammedan Sporting Club at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim. Samir Zeljkovic, Ninthoinganba Meetei, and Manglenthang Kipgen were on target for Punjab, ensuring back-to-back clean sheets and six points from two matches.
With both Bengaluru and Punjab level on points, their upcoming showdown promises to decide the group’s semifinal berth. Meanwhile, Gokulam Kerala and Mohammedan Sporting have been eliminated and will play only for pride in their final fixtures.
