Granada and Bilbao complete match suspended after supporter's death
Deshorn Brown (23rd) scored in his first start for the Blues before goals by Rahul Bheke (25th) and Sunil Chhetri (61st) sealed the tie in favour of the home side.
Up against the 91st-ranked Bahrain, Stimac's side, which is currently placed at 104 in the FIFA rankings, found the going tough from the word go and, had it not been for a fine save by skipper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, the Indians would have trailed by a bigger margin at half time.
Cassio Gabriel, Bipin Singh, Igor Angulo and substitute Ygor Catatau were on the scoresheet for the ISL leaders.
The result means Mumbai sit at the top of the pile with 16 points from eight games but have drawn after their 0-3 loss to Kerala Blasters. NorthEast United remain ninth having eight points from nine games.
Mumbai City FC scripted history as they fought back from a goal down to stun Iraqi giants Air Force Club 2-1 and become the first Indian club to win a game at the top-tier AFC Asian Champions League.
Among other transfer news globally, defender Rahul Bheke joins Mumbai City FC while Locatelli completes Juventus move.
NEUFC could have doubled their tally soon after the half-hour mark had Suhair VP converted his chance. Rochharzela whipped a cross for the unmarked striker in the box, but he cushioned his header over the crossbar.
Bengaluru FC played their hearts out to score an equaliser but looked clueless against an organised ATKMB defence
Just as BFC looked set for a win, Machado (78th) struck again to ensure his team got a point.
A 56th-minute penalty strike from Sunil Chhetri was the difference between the two teams
Having endured a topsy-turvy start to their campaign before a fine turnaround, seven-time champions India start as title favourites when they take on first-time finalists Nepal in the summit clash of the SAFF Championships, in Male, on Saturday.
Two-time champions ATK made their Christmas celebrations special, pipping Bengaluru FC by a David Williams solitary strike to secure their first ever win over the defending champions in the Indian Super League, in Kolkata, on Wednesday.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday
Indian football hero of '80s, Chibuzor dies
A winless India remained in fourth spot in the group with three points from six matches. India are already out of contention for a World Cup berth but they are still in the reckoning for the 2023 Asian Cup.
Sunil Chhetri likened the national team setup with his home and expressed his relief at returning to where he belongs
Jamshedpur FC scored from a stoppage time penalty as they beat Bengaluru FC 1-0 in an entertaining Indian Super League match in Bengaluru, on Thursday.
India remained winless in their qualifying campaign so far.
FC Goa took the lead through Igor Angulo (20th minute) and Redeem Tlang (23rd) before Suresh Wangjam (33rd) reduced Bengaluru's deficit.
The two teams were locked 0-0 after 90 minutes. Even the first extra time saw no goals but Bengaluru got better of a 10-men Goan team 1-0, four minutes from the end of the second extra half.
Captain Sunil Chhetri scored a brace as Bengaluru FC continued their supremacy over FC Goa with a 2-1 win in an engrossing Indian Super League encounter, in Bengaluru, on Friday. The result sees Bengaluru rise to the second spot with 19 points from 11 games, just two shy of FC Goa, who continue to top the table.
Talismanic captain Sunil Chhetri scored in his milestone appearance but India lost 1-3 to higher-ranked Curacao in their opening match of the King's Cup football tournament in Igor Stimac's first game in charge, in Burirasm, Thailand, on Wednesday.
India are virtually knocked out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying round after losing 0-1 to Oman, in Muscat, on Tuesday.
Adil Khan ensured that India at least secure a point from the home match
Kerala Blasters put up a dominating performance to beat table toppers FC Pune City 2-0 and notch up their first win in seven matches in the Indian Super League football tournament, in Kochi, on Wednesday.
Needing to overturn a 0-1 first leg defeat in their away match on September 27, Bengaluru conceded a goal in as early as the fourth minute when Nuriddin Davronov converted a penalty, to put the Tajikis 1-0 up.
A double strike from Sunil Chhetri and another fine finish from Miku set up an impressive 3-0 win for Bengaluru FC against FC Pune City in the Indian Super League football match, in Pune, on Monday.
In what was a repeat of last season's final at the same venue, Miku's 41st minute strike was enough for the Blues to overcome the visitors' challenge.
Their super star co-owner Sachin Tendulkar cheering them from the stands, Kerala Blasters FC got their campaign off to a rollicking start, recording a convincing 3-1 win over NorthEast United FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) football in Kochi on Tuesday.
Sunil Chhetri termed his team's maiden Indian Super League victory against FC Goa as a 'sweet one'
FC Pune City's home woes in the Hero Indian Super League continued as they dropped precious points in a 1-1 draw against Chennaiyin FC at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Balewadi, Pune, on Sunday.
Frenchman Gregory Arnolin's 84th minute strike helped FC Goa edge past Kerala Blasters FC 2-1 in a keenly contested ISL football game and take top spot in the league table in Margao on Thursday.
FC Goa secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over FC Pune City to climb up from the bottom of the Indian Super League points table in Pune on Thursday. FC Goa were in danger of exiting the league early this season but coach Zico masterminded his first win over a team coached by Antonio Habas as Brazilian striker Rafael Coelho scored the all-important goal from a free-kick in the 32nd minute at Balewadi Sports Complex Stadium here. The win helped FC Goa move to the seventh spot with seven points from eight matches while FC Pune City are now at the bottom with six points from seven matches.
Cedric Hengbart scored the fastest goal of the third edition of Indian Super League but that wasn't enough for the Kerala Blasters as they were held to a 1-1 draw by FC Pune City, in Pune, on Monday.
After constant pressure, Bengaluru were finally rewarded with the equaliser in the 82nd minute when Paartalu nodded in Cleiton's in-swinging corner.
Defending champions Bengaluru FC registered a narrow 1-0 win over ATK in the first leg of their Hero Indian Super League semi-final clash at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
Only Sandesh Jhingan, who led the side, Rahul Bheke and Subhasish Bose retained their places, but India still won the match through a 17th minute strike from midfielder Anirudh Thapa in the third-place match at the Thunder Castle stadium.
Many Indian footballers have improved by leaps and bounds thanks to the exposure of playing in the Indian Super League in the last three seasons.
Chennaiyin FC stand in the way as Bengaluru FC, the model club of Indian football, seek a triumphant conclusion to what has been a remarkable maiden campaign in the Indian Super League, in Bengaluru on Saturday.