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FC Goa eked out a narrow 7-6 victory after a sudden-death tie-breaker over Bengaluru FC to make it to their maiden Durand Cup final in a gripping second semifinal played at the Saltlake Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday evening.
The game had ended 2-2 after extra-time. They now come up against local favourites Mohammedan Sporting in the final of the 130th edition of the iconic tournament, Asia’s oldest and the world’s third oldest. Coincidentally both the semifinals ended the same way after 90 minutes.
Christy Davis took the deciding spot-kick in sudden death which saw the Gaurs through as Damaitphang Lyngdoh missed for Bengaluru FC after both teams were tied 4-4 after the first five stipulated spot-kicks. For FC Goa, the scorers in the shoot-out were Aibanbha Dohling, Sanson Pereira, Leander D’Cunha, Edu Bedia, Papuia and Makan Chothe, besides Christy. For Bengaluru FC the ones to score were Muirang, Ajay Chhetri, Parag Satish, Namgyal Bhutia, Ajith Kumar and Bekey Oram. The one’s to miss out were Redeem Tlang for FC Goa and Akashdeep Singh and Lyngdoh for Bengaluru FC.
In regulation time Devendra Murgaokar and Redeem Tlang had scored in each half for the Gaurs while Siva Sakthi got both goals for Bengaluru FC.
FC Goa gaffer Juan Ferrando went into the game with a five-man back line, probably insurance for the fact that he was missing key players like Brandon Fernandes, Glan Martins and Seriton Fernandes, all now on India duty. Naushad Moosa, the Bengaluru FC coach was the more enterprising, opting for a three-man forward line and going in without a central midfielder.
It was yet another goal in the first minute for the second semifinal running. Siva Sakthi took Bengaluru FC to a flying start, thanks to a shocker by FC Goa keeper Naveen Kumar. FC Goa bounced back almost immediately. A smartly taken training-ground short corner which Nemil put in the path of Devendra Murgaokar who deflected it past Lara in the Bengaluru FC goal. This was Murgaokar’s fifth of the tournament and his stature continues to rise with every passing game.
Thereafter it was all FC Goa in the half and the Gaurs should have taken an unassaible lead but for the wastefulness from the likes of Edu Bedia and Nemil in front of the goal. The half ended even-stevens.
FC Goa had the upper-hand in the second half as well and finally Redeem Tlang, who had just come in as part of a triple change by coach Juan Ferrando, put them ahead. He would owe it all to Spanish playmaker Alberto Noguera Ripoll as his piercing run at the Bengaluru FC defence found him in space and the former Shillong Lajong FC man made no mistake with a scorching left-footer which whizzed past Lara.
Bengaluru FC to their credit kept moving forward and found reward 11 minutes later when a move from the right flank by Namgyal Bhutia and his subsequent cross saw Siva Sakti leaping above the Goan defence for his second of the game.
FC Goa’s Devendra Murgaokar and Mohammedan Sporting’s Marcus Joseph are now the top goalscorers with one game to go.
FC Goa’s captain Eduardo Bedia Pelaez was adjudged the Man of the Match.
