KBFC vs BFC Live Score, Latest Updates, ISL 2023-24: Kerala Blasters edges past arch-rivals Bengaluru FC in the ISL 2023-24 opener

That's all for tonight's coverage of ISL 2023-24's opener fixture involving Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters. This is Sayantan signing off and continue to follow Sportskeeda for more ISL updates.

FULL-TIME: KERALA BLASTERS FC 2-1 BENGALURU FC

90+5' Kerala are still ambitious and haven't gotten into a shell. Kwame Peprah test Gurpreet Singh Sandhu with a vicious long-range effort. However, the veteran keeper doesn't make any mistakes this time.

KBFC 2-1 BFC

90' Seven minutes of added time to be played here. Can Bengaluru FC find the equalizer?

Bengaluru FC pull a goal back!

89' GOOOAALL!

It's the 'Main' man. A driving run from debutant Monirul allows BFC to catch the Blasters on a break and then the youngster plays in a low cross. The ball takes a few deflections off KBFC defenders and sweetly falls for Curtis Main who tucks it home. The game is still alive.

82' A bit of classy banter from Adrian Luna to highlight the incidents that took place the last time the two teams squared off in the ISL. The referee blows for a free-kick and while Javi Hernandez places the ball, Luna blocks it and shares a laugh with the referee.

80' Substitution for KBFC: Freddy Lallawmawma comes on for Mohammed Aimen.

78' Ryan Williams brings down Aimen with a crunching tackle. The BFC frustration was clearly visible in that challenge.

75' The second-half drinks break is now upon us and Bengaluru FC need to regroup quickly if they are to get back into the tie.

Adrian Luna 🤝 Scoring on the Opening Night #KBFCBFC #KBFC #KeralaBlasters
— Kerala Blasters FC (@KeralaBlasters) September 21, 2023

KERALA BLASTERS MAKE IT TWO

69' ABSOLUTE HOWLER!

You don't expect this from India's numero uno. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu makes a meal of a regulation back pass from Jovanovic and Adrian Luna pounces on the opportunity to nudge the ball into the open net. Probably, the easiest goal the Uruguayan international will ever score.

KBFC 2-0 BFC

66' Parag Shrivas almost immediately gets his name on the scoresheet after he valiantly gets his head to a cross inside the opposition box. But a finger-tip save from Sachin Suresh denies the defender.

65' Triple change for BFC: Javi Hernandez, Curtis Main, and Parag Shrivas come on for Keizah Veendorp, Aleksandar Jovanovic, and Namgyal Bhutia.

62' Plenty of crosses come in from BFC but neither is decisive enough to find an attacker inside the opposition box.

KBFC 1-0 BFC

57' Bengaluru FC are hoping to crawl back into the tie after conceding in an unfortunate manner. However, their defensive setup isn't really allowing them to create substantial pressure.

52' We draw first blood in Kaloor! 😍🔥

We take the lead courtesy of an own goal!

KBFC 🟡 1-0 ⚪️ BFC#KBFCBFC #KBFC #KeralaBlasters pic.twitter.com/5nkom7c11g
— Kerala Blasters FC (@KeralaBlasters) September 21, 2023

KERALA BLASTERS TAKE THE LEAD!

52' GOOOAAALLL!

A corner for Kerala Blasters and ever-reliant Adrian Luna delivers a peach of a ball into the box. Among the cacophony, the ball somehow finds itself in the net while Danish Farooq runs off celebrating. But replays show, it was Veendorp who directed the ball into his own net. The Dutch midfielder will have an own goal against his name on his debut.

48' It appears that Gurpreet accidentally injured his teammate Jovanovic while they both tried to clear the ball from Prabir Das' cross. Das delivered a sharp cross, and both Jovanovic and Gurpreet attempted to make a play on it. Unfortunately, Gurpreet's contact with Jovanovic's calf resulted in a painful collision.

46' Early effort for Kerala Blasters!

Daisuke Sakai picks up from where he left off in the first half, orchestrating the play in the middle, before setting up Peprah. The Ghanian international's effort flies skyward.

46' SECOND HALF IS UNDERWAY!

Bengaluru FC sets the ball rolling amid the incessant downpour.

All square at the break here in Kochi! 🔵#WeAreBFC #KBFCBFC #Santhoshakke pic.twitter.com/9Cbrxkzq8B
— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) September 21, 2023

HALF-TIME: Kerala Blasters FC 0-0 Bengaluru FC

The first half of the opening fixture of the ISL 2023-24 season hasn't particularly lived up to the hype with no significant highlights to look back at, except the two penalty shouts from Kerala Blasters. But the Manjapadda haven't let the atmosphere die down with their relentless chants braving the rain.

45' Just a minute added on.

40' Neither side have shown an attacking intent to get particularly excited about. Will the game open up in the second 45 minutes?

KBFC 0-0 BFC

35' Roshan Singh has surprisingly been Bengaluru's brightest attacking outlet. The wingback attempts a curler from miles outside and almost catches out KBFC keeper Sachin, who was out of his line. But the debutant keeper ultimately managed to palm the ball out for a corner.

31' It's raining cats and dogs but Kochi's humid still forces the referee to take a water break

27' Kerala players are once again appealing for a penalty as Drincic goes down and insists that his shirt was tugged while he attempted to head the ball. However, the referee disregards his protestations.

26' Yellow card for Bengaluru FC's Jessel Carneiro for his shirt pull on Daisuke Sakai.

26' Daisuke Sakai springs the match to life with his trickery, getting the better of Jessel Carneiro on the left flank. However, the former KBFC full-back brought down the Japanese winger just on the edge of the box. While the KBFC players appealed for a penalty, the referee deemed it as a free-kick.

The match is steadily intensifying now!

19' It's been an uneventful affair, with neither side having any decisiveness in the final third, the scoreline remains 0-0 until now.

15' The battle for midfield control will be pivotal in this tie with both sides using contrasting setups. Neither side have looked exceedingly cohesive so far but the early dominance from the Blasters have definitely faded out.

KBFC 0-0 BFC

10' So far, it's been a cautious start from both sides but expect either of the teams to switch up gears soon enough. However, the passing has to improve drastically.

KBFC 0-0 BFC

8' A free-kick for Bengaluru and the delivery from Roshan is on point, however, Milos Drincic rises the highest to thwart away any danger.

KBFC 0-0 BFC

6' Raining incessantly at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and the conditions aren't the most suitable for either side to execute their plan thoroughly.

KBFC 0-0 BFC

3' Bengaluru are playing with a five-at-the-back system along with two holding midfielders and hence it's been all Kerala in terms of possession. But no substantial opportunity has been created so far.

1' Early corner for the Blasters, however, Adrian Luna's delivery is short and dealt with easily by Bengaluru FC.

1' KICK-OFF!

Kerala Blasters FC get the ISL 2023-24 season underway.

WE ARE INCHING CLOSER TO THE KICK-OFF!

The players are out in the middle and it's time for the national anthem.

Kerala Blasters XI: Sachin, Prabir, Pritam, Milos, Aiban, Daisuke, Jeakson, Danish, Aimen, Luna (c), Peprah.

Bengaluru FC XI: Gurpreet (c), Roshan, Jovanovic, Damjanovic, Jessel, Bhutia, Rohit, Suresh, Keziah, Williams, Sivasakthi.

LINEUPS ARE OUT!

LIVESTREAM DETAILS: The opening match between the Yellow Army and the Blues can also be live-streamed on the JioCinema app in India from 8.00 pm IST on September 21.

TELECAST DETAILS: The clash between Kerala Blasters FC and Bengaluru FC will be broadcast live on Sports18 and VH1 in India from 8.00 pm IST on September 21.

Bengaluru FC Team News: The Blues too have multiple absentees who are away on Asian Games duty. Rohit Danu and Sunil Chhetri are away with the Blue Tigers.

Kerala Blasters Team News: The Blasters have plenty of fitness concerns with Dimitrios Diamantakos returning to the training very recently. Meanwhile, Rahul KP and Bryce Miranda are away on national team duty. More will be revealed about the squad's fitness during the pre-match press conference on Wednesday

Head-to-head record between Kerala Blasters and Bengaluru:

Matches played: 13.
BFC wins: 8.
KBFC wins: 3.
Draws: 2.

THE LAST TIME KBFC AND BFC MET IN THE ISL

The two Southern juggernauts clashed in the knockout playoffs of the ISL 2022-23 season and the affair etched its name in the history books for the events that followed. Following the referee's decision to allow a controversial freekick from Sunil Chhetri in extra time, Ivan Vukomanovic and his team, in protest, walked off the pitch with over fifteen minutes of play remaining.

The consequences of that incident weighed heavily on the Blasters in terms of fines and match bans for the gaffer.

THE RETURN OF THE ISL

After months of loitering around, football fans can once again glue their eyes to the television set or their smartphones, with the Indian Super League (ISL) returning today for its grand 10th-anniversary edition.

Hello and welcome to Sportskeeda's live coverage of the opening clash of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 season where Kerala Blasters will lock horns against Southern rivals Bengaluru FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi. This is Sayantan and I'll be taking you through what promises to be an exciting encounter to kick-off the Indian footballing gala.