IFL 2026/27: Uzziel Budu late goal gives Dempo SC win over Bengaluru United

Dempo SC began its Indian Football League 2026-27 campaign with a dramatic 1-0 victory over FC Bengaluru United at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday.

Ghanaian defender Uzziel Yaw Asomaning Budu scored the only goal in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time, heading home from a corner kick in the final minute of added time to hand the hosts all three points.

The match looked destined to end in a goalless stalemate until Bengaluru switched off in the final 10 minutes.

Match details

The game began on a scrappy note on a slow pitch as both teams took time to settle. Dempo slowly found its stride in the second quarter, stringing passes together and establishing a firm hold on ball possession.

Saiesh Bagkar produced probing runs as he looked to link up with forwards Cledson Carvalho Dasilva and captain Richmond Owusu, but his efforts did not produce real 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 its first chance from a corner kick in the 27th minute, though the resulting header was not on target.

The visitor found its rhythm past the half-hour mark, with captain Ribhav Sardesai and Lalramdinsanga Ralte working tirelessly in midfield.

Dempo commanded 70 per cent possession and produced close to 250 passes in the opening period but lacked intensity and penetration in the final third, sending the sides into half-time deadlocked at 0-0.

Second half and winner

The match resumed at a faster pace, with FC Bengaluru United showing greater attacking intent on the transition.

Marat Tareck made a fine run in behind the Dempo backline with only the goalkeeper in sight, but a heavy touch from the Russian forward allowed Dempo goalkeeper Subhajit Bhattacharjee to pounce swiftly and smother the danger.

Dempo responded at the other end and won a corner kick, from which defender Athul Unnikrishnan rose to meet the delivery but sent his header off target.

Although Bengaluru was the better side for large spells of the second half, it lost concentration in the closing 10 minutes.

In the 80th minute, Dempo carved out its best opportunity from open play when skipper Richmond Owusu delivered a spot-on pass to find Saiesh Bagkar inside the penalty box, only for his goal-bound shot to be saved.

The deadlock was broken only when Budu rose highest from a corner in stoppage time to glance home the winner.

Clubs and competition

Dempo Sports Club, founded in 1961, is an Indian professional football club based in Carambolim, Goa, owned and sponsored by the Dempo Mining Corporation Limited.

Known popularly as "The Whites" and "The Golden Eagles", the club competes in the Indian Football League and the Goa Professional League.

FC Bengaluru United, founded in 2018, is an Indian professional football club based in Bangalore, Karnataka, which mainly participated in local competitions including the Karnataka Super Division. Both clubs compete in the Indian Football League, the second tier of the Indian football league system.

The 2026-27 Indian Football League is the fifth season of the competition as the second tier and started on October 30, 2026.

What happens next

No date, venue or opponent for the next match was provided in the sources.

Related on Apex Sports News

• IFL 2026-27: Rajasthan United host Sreenidi Deccan; Dempo welcome debutants Bengaluru United

• ISL 2026-27: NorthEast United face Bengaluru FC in Guwahati

• IFL 2026-27: Nagaland United set for debut against Real Kashmir

Sources

• Sportstar

• Khel Now

• Photo: Footballmasala, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)