Effiong, centre, ran riot in the first half.
| Photo Credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J.
The towering Nsungusi Effiong proved too hot to handle for Bengaluru FC (BFC). The tall striker, blessed with both strength and speed, scored a brace to give Punjab FC a 2-0 win over BFC in an ISL encounter at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Friday.
The visitor recorded its maiden win in two matches, while BFC suffered its first defeat in three games.
Effiong ran riot in the first half, bullying defenders Nikhil Poojari and K. Chinglensana into submission. The BFC wall cracked in the 20th minute, when Effiong climbed over his marker to meet a cross from Manglenthang Kipgen.
Effiong’s strong header beat BFC goalkeeper Gurpreet Sandhu at the near post.
The Nigerian doubled the lead with a composed finish in the 32nd. After being dispossessed in midfield, BFC was slow to get back in defence. Dani Ramirez found Effiong with a neat pass, who produced a left-footed strike from the edge of the box which rocketed past Sandhu.
A desperate BFC, physically and tactically outplayed, brought Sunil Chhetri, Sirojiddin and Haobam Meetei on in the second half.
The changes made the home team more cohesive, and enabled it keep possession for longer periods.
The crowd gasped in shock in the 59th when Chhetri squandered the easiest of chances in front of an open goal. That was the closest BFC came to getting on the scoresheet.
The results: Bengaluru FC 0 lost to Punjab FC 2 (Nsungusi Effiong 20, 32).
At Kolkata: East Bengal FC 1 (Edmund Larindika 41) lost to Jamshedpur FC 2 (Stephen Eze 61, Rei Tachikawa 87).
Published – February 27, 2026 11:29 pm IST
