Bengaluru FC were held to a 1-1 draw by Odisha FC in a tightly fought Indian Super League (ISL) 2025–26 clash at PJN Stadium in Fatorda on Monday. A second-half penalty from Braian Sanchez ensured the visitors salvaged a point after Rahim Ali had given the hosts the lead in the first half.

The result sees Bengaluru FC remain sixth in the standings with 17 points from 11 matches, while Odisha FC continues to struggle near the bottom in 13th place with seven points from 10 games.

Bengaluru started the match brightly, dictating possession and pushing forward through wide players like Ryan Williams and Siva Sakthi Narayanan. Despite their control, clear-cut chances were hard to come by as Odisha’s defence stayed compact and disciplined.

Odisha, however, looked dangerous on the break. Their patience paid off in the 34th minute when Lalrinfela Khiangte intercepted a throw-in and quickly released Rahim Ali with a precise through ball. The forward showed calmness under pressure, sprinting into the box before slotting the ball past goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to give the hosts the lead.

Trailing at the break, Bengaluru FC manager Gerard Zaragoza introduced changes early in the second half, which had an immediate impact. Substitute Soham Varshneya won a penalty just two minutes after the restart, drawing a foul inside the area.

Sanchez stepped up and delivered under pressure, firing a powerful shot into the top corner in the 47th minute to level the score.

The remainder of the match followed a familiar pattern, with Bengaluru FC controlling possession but struggling to penetrate Odisha’s deep defensive setup. Odisha, content to sit back and absorb pressure, managed to hold firm and secure a valuable point.

While the Blues extended their unbeaten away run, the inability to convert dominance into victory will be a concern moving forward. Odisha, on the other hand, will take encouragement from a resilient defensive display as they look to climb up the table in the coming weeks.