ISL 2024-25: Mumbai City FC holds table-topper Bengaluru FC to goalless draw

Bengaluru has 10 points from four games, one above Punjab FC, whom the Blues will meet in the next fixture at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on October 18.

Players in action during the ISL match between Mumbai City FC vs Bengaluru FC at the Mumbai Football Arena in Mumbai on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI/ The Hindu

Bengaluru FC maintained its position atop the Indian Super League 2024-25 table after a nil-nil draw away to Mumbai City FC at Mumbai Football Arena in Mumbai on Wednesday.

BFC has 10 points from four games, one above Punjab FC, whom the Blues will meet in the next fixture at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on October 18. The clean-sheet was BFC’s fourth in a row, making it the first side to begin an ISL campaign thus.

Stand-in head coach Renedy Singh rolled out an unchanged XI from the team that thrashed Mohun Bagan Super Giant 3-0 on Saturday. But it was MCFC that started stronger, with Gurpreet Singh Sandhu called into action to collect crosses from Brandon Fernandes and Vikram Partap Singh in the early exchanges. Gurpreet also made the first save of the game, pushing Nikos Karelis’ header away.

AS IT HAPPENED: MCFC vs BFC

BFC’s first effort came when Edgar Mendez was played through by Alberto Noguera only for the Spanish striker to see his effort saved by Phurba Lachenpa. Vinith Venkatesh, and Mendez again, came close but Lachenpa was solid.

The Islanders had the best chance of the contest from a set-piece when Yoell van Nieff’s whipped take fell for Tiri only for the Spaniard’s effort from point-blank range to cannon off the crossbar. BFC came close in the final moments when substitute N. Sivasakthi slipped away from his marker but put his shot off target.