Sporting Club Bengaluru emerge champions of I-League 2

Sporting Club Bengaluru were crowned I-League 2 champions with two rounds to spare as they beat Sudeva Delhi FC. The ‘Golden Tigers’ have now been promoted to the I-League for the 2024-25 season. Shaiborlang Kharpan’s first-half strike, proved enough to seal the title in SC Bengaluru’s favour, meaning they will become the first team to represent the city in the I-League since Bengaluru FC in 2016-17.

Formed as recently as 2022, SC Bengaluru’s instant success story is one to take note of. It all started with their title-winning campaign in the 2022-23 Bangalore Super Division, their debut season in the league. As a result, they were eligible to participate in the 2023-24 I-League 3 and went on to top Group D only by a better goal difference over Diamond Harbour FC to qualify for the play-offs.

In the I-League 3 play-offs, SC Bengaluru finished in the top three alongside Dempo SC and Sporting Clube de Goa to book their spot in the I-League 2. Monday’s win cemented their status as champions as they took their tally to 27 points from 12 matches.

Their sensational league triumph was mainly made possible by their impeccable home form. The ‘Golden Tigers’ won all seven of their matches at the Bangalore Football Stadium. Their tally of 23 goals so far is the highest in the eight-team league, while they also boast of the joint-best defence, having conceded only 12 goals, same as Dempo – a testimony to their dominant and unrivalled campaign.