ISL 2023-24: Bengaluru, NorthEast play out entertaining 1-1 draw

Status quo was thus maintained in the points table, with NorthEast remaining eighth (11 points) and BFC ninth (also 11 pts, but inferior goal-difference).

Siva Sakthi. N of Bengaluru FC post the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 season, match 64 played between Bengaluru FC and NorthEast United FC held at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru on December 24, 2023. | Photo Credit: Focus Sports / ISL

There was no festive cheer, neither was there any despair as Bengaluru FC and NorthEast United FC played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in the Indian Super League at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Sunday.

When NorthEast’s Nestor Albiach converted an 86th-minute spot-kick after a foul from Naorem Roshan, Christmas had seemingly come early for the visitors. But substitute N. Sivasakthi gate-crashed the party with a fine header in the 95th minute off a cross from Jessel Carneiro.

Status quo was thus maintained in the points table, with NorthEast remaining eighth (11 points) and BFC ninth (also 11 pts, but inferior goal-difference).

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The first period set the tone for a lively evening as both sides threatened the goal multiple times. The deadlock was unbroken largely because neither outfit could summon the killer instinct in the final third.

The first clear-cut chance fell to the away side in the 55th minute when M.S. Jithin cut in from the left and unleashed a fierce shot from just outside the penalty area, only to be thwarted by a diving Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Immediately after, BFC’s Ryan Williams broke free during a counter-attack but couldn’t beat the NorthEast custodian Mirshad Koottappunna.

Following the hour mark, NorthEast’s Albiach and Parthib Gogoi missed headers from close range while Halicharan Narzary was denied by a lunging last-ditch tackle from Huidrom Thoi Singh.

With 10 minutes left, Gogoi missed a golden opportunity when he fluffed a one-on-one with Gurpreet.

Spaniard Albiach’s penalty would have helped him breathe a little, but it wasn’t long before Sivasakthi knocked the air out of NorthEast.

The result: Bengaluru FC 1 (Sivasakthi 90+5) drew with NorthEast United FC 1 (Albiach 86-pen).