Ryan Williams led the show as Bengaluru FC (BFC) defeated Gokulam Kerala FC (GKFC) 4-0 in their AIFF Super Cup Group C match at the PJN Stadium here on Sunday.
Williams scored twice and set up another, while Vinith Venkatesh and Sunil Chhetri found the net once each.
In the opening match, GKFC were caught napping early and were defeated by Punjab FC (PFC) in the second minute. BFC were prepared – the opener arrived in the seventh minute.
Sirozhiddin Kuziev made a through ball into the final third for Williams, who ran past his marker, Harpreet Singh, and then fired past another defender, Gursmirat Singh, and goalkeeper Rakshit Dagar into the bottom left corner.
GKFC tried to respond within 10 minutes via a set piece. However, Harpreet headed Alfred Moya’s corner just wide.
BFC could have taken a 2–0 lead in the first 30 minutes when Brian Sanchez received Taorem Kelvin Singh’s cross in front of the penalty area, but Gursimrat blocked the shot at the last moment.
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But the goal came soon as Williams passed down the left channel to Kelvin, who then passed back to Vinith in the centre. GKFC’s Harpreet tried to intercept but slipped as Vinith rattled the net and spread his arms wide in celebration of ‘Jude Bellingham’.
GKFC were again plagued by early goals, this time three minutes after the restart, when Blauw-Zwart struck on the counter. Nikhil Poojary’s pass from the back found Williams, who burst into the final third.
Soyal Joshi tried to mark the striker, but the slick, wet outfield – after a week of rain – gave him away as Williams scored his second of the evening to put BFC 3-0 ahead.
However, BFC needed another goal to equal provisional group toppers PFC’s goal difference, and it came after the hour when Chhetri converted Braian Sanchez’s cross from the left with finesse.
Punjab beat Mohammedan Sporting 3-0
In the Group C match earlier in the day, PFC defeated Mohammedan Sporting Club (MSC) 3-0 at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim.
New signing Samir Zeljkovic scored his first goal for Punjab while Ninthoinganba Meetei (Ninthoi) and Manglenthang Kipgen also got on the scoresheet to help their side maintain a perfect record in the tournament.
PFC’s emphasis on bringing in local footballers had seen all three scorers from India in the first match of the Super Cup – a 3-0 win over GKFC. In the second match too, Indians scored two of the three goals.
MSC, who were consistently tested against BFC through the flanks, corrected some of their mistakes but left the central areas exposed against the Shers, who consistently attacked the space.
From Zeljkovic running unmarked through the middle to Muhammad Suhail dragging the defenders into wider areas, PFC read the opponent well to achieve a controlled victory.
Punjab recorded a comprehensive 3-0 win over Mohammedan. | Photo credit: AIFF MEDIA
Punjab recorded a comprehensive 3-0 win over Mohammedan. | Photo credit: AIFF MEDIA
Kipgen, who won the SAFF U-19 Championship with India two years ago, threw a through ball into the penalty area for Ninthoi, who fired the ball past an onrushing Subhajit Bhattacharjee, the MSC goalkeeper, in the 26th minute.
Just before half-time, PFC struck again: another well-executed move involving Khaiminthang Lhungdim and Ninthoi created an opening for Zeljkovic in the center. The midfielder managed to find the net despite not being able to make a clear connection with the ball.
As the depleted MSC team’s energy levels dropped, PFC delivered the knockout punch in the 73rd minute when substitute Leon set up Augustine Kipgen, who struck to put the competition to bed.
The two matches set up a winner-takes-all match at PJN Stadium on November 5, with PFC going head-to-head with BFC. MSC and GKFC, now eliminated, will play their remaining matches in Group C on the same day.
Published on November 2, 2025
