Effiong Nsungusi's Brace Powers Punjab FC to First ISL Win Over Bengaluru FC

Renedy Singh named an unchanged XI from the previous game, but the match did not go Bengaluru FC's way as Punjab FC's registered their first win of the season and opened their account on the points table.

After a cagey opening 20 minutes, Punjab FC broke the deadlock as a good cross from Kipgen saw Effiong Nsungusi rise above everyone else to fire a header in at the near post. Gurpreet got a hand to it, but not enough to keep it out.

Punjab FC doubled their lead 10 minutes later as Effiong scored his second with a low effort from the edge of the box to fire it past a diving Gurpreet. An intense battle followed for the rest of the first half, with Punjab FC taking a 2-0 lead into the break.

The second half saw Renedy make 3 changes to his lineup, with Meetei, Kuziev, and Sunil Chhetri coming on to replace Sana, Suresh, and Sivasakhti.

Bengaluru FC came close to pulling one back, as a good release pass from the midfield saw Ryan Williams break into space on the right flank, and put in an excellent low cross for Sunil Chhetri, but the veteran Indian fired it over the goal.

Around the 69th minute, Punjab FC were faced with an injury concern to the creator of their first goal, as Kipgen walked off the field with a limp.

The remainder of the match saw both teams play back and forth from one end to the other, but neither team could change the scoreline further. It ended in a 2-0 victory for Punjab FC, their first win of the season.

A tough loss for Bengaluru FC in their third game at home on the trot, their tally remains at 4 points after 3 games, with the next game away against Mohammedan SC on March 7.

- IANS