Bengaluru FC beat Mumbai City FC 2-1 in the final of the Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Sunday.
Siva Shakti and Alan Costa scored the goals on both sides of Apuia’s equaliser to help Bengaluru clinch the Durand Cup, Shimla Trophy and President’s Cup for the first time in their history.
In the very first minute, Mumbai City FC were on the front foot but Vinit Rai was brought down. Greg Stewart’s ball from the resulting free-kick did not yield much though.
At the stroke of the 10th minute, Alexandar Jovanovic played a long hopeful ball that could have easily been classified as clearance and found its way to Siva Shakti. The Bengaluru starlet, who received his first start from Simon Grayson, repaid the faith as he beat Mourtada Fall in a battle of strength and lifted the ball into the corner past an onrushing Phurba Lachenpa.
The defences after the opening strike stiffened up as Rostyn Griffiths and Jovanovic both made good challenges after losing ground on their marking targets.
As the clock turned 30, Sandesh Jhingan made an error as he stepped up to clear a goal kick from the other end but it was deemed that his foot was too high. From the resulting free-kick, Stewart was slipped in and his curling shot was palmed into a dangerous area by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Apuia, who was back in the team after his stint with Lommel SK in Belgium, was the quickest to react as he slotted the ball into the back of the net.
Bengaluru were keen to get the lead back and pressed hard immediately. In the 38th minute, Lallingzuala Chhangte had to make a goal-line clearance to stop Roy Krishna’s deflected shot.
With the clock ticking closer to half-time, Mourtada’s challenge on Krishna attached to a yellow card but Sunil Chhetri’s free-kick was blocked by the wall.
After the break, Chhangte had a brilliant but difficult chance as his effort whistled past the crossbar after he snuck in behind at the far post.
In the 60th minute, Fall was again embroiled in a physical challenge with Krishna and came off second best. With calls of a penalty, the referee pointed for a corner. Lachenpa pulled off a great save to deny Chhetri for another corner.
Chhetri sent in a delicious corner as Alan Costa jumped high and at the right time to thump in the headed goal and restore Bengaluru’s lead in the 61st minute.
Another Jhingan mistake could have resulted in Mumbai City FC equalising again but Bengaluru FC managed to ride that wave. Minutes later, at the 77th mark, substitute Alberto Noguera’s shot rattled the upright as the Mumbai City player looked increasingly frustrated.
Against the run of play, substitute Udanta Singh blocked an attack from the right and after playing a smart one-two with Krishna, slipped in Siva on the right flank, who in turn found Chhetri. The Indian football legend slipped a defender but his shot was blocked by Lachenpa.
Even though Mumbai City pressed on, Bengaluru held on to gift Sunil Chhetri the only piece of silverware he was missing from his illustrious cabinet.
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