Mohammedan Sporting eliminated Bengaluru United 4-2 (a.e.t.) in the first semi-final of the Durand Cup 2021 at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, on Monday. The teams were locked 2-2 at regulation time.
After receiving a bye into the last four of the tournament on account of Army Red's withdrawal, Pedro Manzi (1') took just 22 seconds to give the I-League second division side an early lead but for Marcus Joseph's (9') equaliser and Faisal Ali's (38') strike for Mohammedan cancelled by Kingshuk Debnath (78') to take the game into extra time.
Brandon Vanlalremdika (102') and Nikola Stojanovic (110' pen) scored in either halves of extra time to take Mohammedan over the line into the club's sixth Durand Cup time as they chase their third title, with the opponents ending the game with 10 men.
In the final on October 3, at the same venue, Andrey Chernyshov's men will face the winner of the second semi-final between FC Goa and Bengaluru FC that takes place on Wednesday.
Durand Cup Media
Gopi Singh's free-kick found Manzi in space to finish from inside the box and the Spaniard made no mistake off a rebound of his initial attempt to slot it past Zothanmawia. Mohammedan responded with Milan Singh's attempt followed up with Joseph finding the back of the net after rounding Benagluru United goalkeeper Kunzang Bhutia.
With five goals, the Trinidadian is now leading the race for the second successive Golden Boot in the tournament after he had scored 11 goals for defending champions Gokulam Kerala in 2019.
Joseph turned provider for Faisal's neat finish from inside the box as Mohammedan went into the tunnel with a 2-1 lead. However, crossing over, Debnath kept the tie exciting till the end of regulation time with a goal from a corner.
Durand Cup Media
But then Manzi's picked a second yellow card in the match that forced Bengaluru United on the back foot in extra time, as coach Richard Hood brough in the team's fitness coach cum player Chelston Pinto in an attempt to salvage the situation.
Contrary, Mohammedan subsitute Brandon Vanlalremdika coming on for Sheikh Faiaz did the trick. Stojanovic fed the Mizo with the final pass as Brandon made it 3-2 before the Serbian converted a late penalty to insure the win.
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=640&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=640&quality=60)
-min.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=640&quality=60)