Bengaluru FC vs Inter Kashi: Babovic's heroics, Noguera misses, and other talking points

The Blues bowed out against the Kashi Warriors after losing 3-5 on penalties.

Indian Super League (ISL) club Bengaluru FC have officially ended their season after losing to Inter Kashi on penalties in the round of 16 game on Wednesday. A clash that the Blues entered as favorites witnessed them succumb their one-goal lead after Matija Babovic equalized for the Kashi in the 88th minute.

The game then progressed to a penalty shootout where it was Kashi who came out on top against this season’s ISL finalists. The crucial miss from the spot for Bengaluru FC came from attacking midfielder Alberto Noguera, whose attempt was saved by Inter Kashi goalkeeper Shubham Dhas.

Here are the key talking points from one of the biggest shocks in these early stages of Kalinga Super Cup 2025:

Bengaluru FC couldn’t play keep ball against Inter Kashi

The Blues struggled to maintain possession in the middle of the park over the 90 minutes. Gerard Zaragoza’s men were believed to possess the ability to retain possession and pass their way out of trouble in tough situations.

However, poor passing and turnover of possession from high attacking positions were the one glaring reasons for the game being close. The mistakes only helped the I-League opponents gain confidence as the game progressed and ultimately led to Matija Babovic’s goal in the 88th minute.

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Lethargic play from the Blues

Gerard Zaragoza’s men were expected by the fans to come out of the blocks and dominate Inter Kashi from the first whistle. However, the Blues looked sluggish and showed vulnerability to make error-prone passes time and again, thus halting any good momentum.

Even though Bengaluru FC took the lead in the 62nd minute through Ryan Williams, the lack of energy from the players indicated the game was far from over. The sluggish play ultimately helped Kashi’s head coach Antonio López Habas, gain confidence and ultimately get the equaliser in the dying moments of the game.

Inter Kashi move onto the quarterfinals

The Kashi Warriors under Antonio López Habas have slayed one of the favourites to win the whole tournament in their first Kalinga Super Cup outing. A win over this season’s ISL finalists will lift the mood in the club’s camp following a week where they were denied an I-League title by the AIFF Appeals Committee.

The club have responded in the best way possible after coming down a goal behind, with their backs to the wall and earning themselves a spot in the quarterfinals. The Kashi Warriors will be facing yet another former ISL-winning side in Mumbai City FC, as they look to replicate their heroics and progress to the semifinals.

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