Bengaluru FC returned to winning ways with a 3-1 win over Kerala Blasters at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi and climbed two spots to third in the ISL table.
The Blues had suffered back-to-back defeats at home before the game in Kochi on New Year’s Eve.
It was FC that took the lead on the hour mark after Sunil Chhetri struck home a penalty.
Bengaluru FC largely controlled the game and could have won by an even bigger margin had it not been for heroic saves from Kerala Blasters goalkeeper Subhasis Roy. The Blasters’ defence was finally split open by Chhetri’s run down the left flank. It eventually ended in a dubious handball committed by Blasters defender Sandesh Jhingan. Chhetri converted the penalty without any fuss for his fourth goal of the season.
The game remained in the balance up until the 90th minute with the home side looking for an equaliser. But it was striker Miku who sprinted clear of the Blasters’ defence to give Bengaluru FC a two-goal lead in stoppage time. The Spaniard followed that strike up with another just minutes later, tapping in from close-range.
Miku’s brace propelled him to joint first in the scoring charts with FC Goa’s Coco Ferran. Both strikers have scored eight goals in the ISL season so far.
Courage Pekuson scored a consolation goal for the home side in the dying minutes but the game was all but over by then.
Earlier, the home side raised eyebrows by leaving out former Bengaluru FC defender CK Vineeth from the starting line-up while star striker Dimitar Berbatov too did not play a part in the game due to fitness concerns.
Bengaluru FC are new entrants in the ISL having played in the I-League until this season. The team next faces Atletico de Kolkata at the Kanteerava Stadium on January 7.