Dempo SC snatch dramatic 1-0 win over Bengaluru United in IFL 2026-27 season

The Golden Eagles receives a home win in their season opener

Dempo SC began their Indian Football League (IFL) 2026–27 campaign on a winning note, securing a dramatic 1-0 victory over FC Bengaluru United at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa, on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Ghanaian defender Uzziel Yaw Asomaning Budu struck in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time to break the deadlock and hand the hosts all three points.

Billed as a classic David-versus-Goliath clash between a youthful FC Bengaluru United outfit and the experienced Dempo side, the contest appeared destined to end in a goalless stalemate as the visitors defended resolutely for large periods of the match.

A fiery first half at the Fatorda Stadium

However, Bengaluru switched off in the final 10 minutes and were punished in the dying moments when centre-back Budu rose highest from a corner kick in the final minute of added time to glance home the winner in front of the home supporters.

The game began on a scrappy note, with both teams taking time to settle on a slow pitch. Dempo gradually found their rhythm as the contest moved into the second quarter, stringing passes together and establishing a firm grip on possession.

Operating down the left flank, Saiesh Bagkar produced a couple of probing runs for the Goan side as he looked to link up with forwards Cledson Carvalho Dasilva and captain Richmond Kwasi Owusu. However, his efforts failed to create any clear-cut openings against a well-organised Bengaluru defence marshalled by Daniel, Abdul Hannan and goalkeeper Manjunath Hirekurbar.

Despite Dempo’s territorial dominance, FC Bengaluru United carved out their first opportunity of the evening from a corner kick in the 27th minute, although the resulting header failed to find the target.

The visitors gradually found their rhythm as the match progressed beyond the half-hour mark, with captain Ribhav Sardesai and Lalramdinsanga Ralte working tirelessly in midfield to maintain their team’s shape.

Dempo continued to dominate possession for the remainder of the opening period, enjoying 70 per cent of the ball and completing close to 250 passes. While the hosts controlled possession effectively, they lacked intensity and penetration in the final third against a compact Bengaluru rearguard that maintained its defensive shape, sending both sides into the half-time break locked at 0-0.

Budu breaks Bengaluru’s heart in the stoppage time

The match resumed at a much faster pace in the second half, with FC Bengaluru United displaying greater attacking intent on the counter. The visitors came agonisingly close to taking the lead when Russian forward Marat Tareck made an excellent run in behind the Dempo backline of Budu, Athul Unnikrishnan and Pruthvesh Pednekar, finding himself with only the goalkeeper to beat.

However, a heavy touch from the Russian forward at a crucial moment allowed Dempo goalkeeper Subhajit Bhattacharjee to react quickly, gather the ball and snuff out the danger.

Dempo responded at the other end and won a corner of their own, from which defender Athul Unnikrishnan rose highest to meet the delivery but sent his header wide of the target. The intensity subsequently dropped from both sides as the game entered the second quarter of the half, with the scoreline remaining unchanged until the final hydration break.

Although FC Bengaluru United were the better side for large spells of the second half, they lost concentration during the closing 10 minutes as Dempo pushed forward in search of a late breakthrough.

In the 80th minute, the hosts created their best opportunity from open play when skipper Richmond Owusu delivered a perfectly weighted pass to find Saiesh Bagkar inside the penalty box, only for his goal-bound effort to be bravely blocked by the Bengaluru defence.

With eight minutes of added time indicated, that missed opportunity initially appeared costly for the hosts, and for much of the closing period, it seemed Bengaluru would return home with a hard-earned point. However, a moment of brilliance in the 90+8th minute changed the complexion of the contest.

Winning a corner in the final minute of the match, Dempo delivered the ball into the box, where centre-back Budu timed his jump to perfection and glanced a precise header towards the far post, beating Hirekurbar to send the home supporters into celebration.

In the end, Uzziel Budu’s last-gasp header proved decisive as Dempo Sports Club capitalised on FC Bengaluru United’s late defensive lapse to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory and begin their IFL 2026–27 home campaign with all three points.

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