Cuttack: Bengaluru FC advanced to the Federation Cup final after clinching a 1-0 victory over I- League champions Aizawl FC in their semifinal clash here on Sunday.
Cameron Watson’s eighth-minute penalty strike led Bengaluru to the final.
The script for Alberto Roca’s men went right from the kick-off; courtesy the early breakthrough.
In the eighth minute, Alwyn George was brought down inside the Aizawl FC box by an uncanny challenge and the referee pointed straight to the spot.
Watson stepped up and slotted the ball into the left bottom corner to give the Blues a solitary goal lead.
At the back, the defensive pairing of John Johnson and Sandesh Jhingan gave the Aizawl forwards a torrid time.
In the 12th minute, Kamo was found in the Bengaluru box, but a sweetly timed John Johnson tackle robbed him of possession before he could shoot the ball.
Four minutes later, Lalram Chullova cut in the box from the left flank before unleashing a shot, which saw the tall figure of Sandesh Jhingan and went out for a throw-in.
Playing on the counter, the Blues, in the 21st minute, came close to doubling their lead after Eugeneson Lyngdoh released CV Vineeth onto goal with a through ball.
The latter’s shot, however, was met with Kingsley Eze’s hurling body before Vineeth passed it for an onrushing Alwyn George to capitalise.
But George shot the ball over the bar.
On the other end, Aizawl FC were handed a golden opportunity to equalise after Kamo was found on the far post by a delicious Lalram Chullova cross.
The Ivorian, however, could not make clean contact with the ball and headed it wide of goal.
In the 39th minute, Cameron Watson’s shot from outside the box rattled the woodwork as the Blues adopted a more attacking stance.
It did not reap any fruits in the first half as the half-time scoreline read 1-0.
Khalid Jamil revamped his side’s tactics in the second half and Mahmoud Al-Amna who was sitting deep in the first half was given more freedom around the 18-yard box.
The Syrian, however, was booked for simulation after he beat two defenders to get into the Bengaluru box but fell, in hopes of a penalty, with minimal contact.
Not only that, the Reds played with a high line and an offside trap that caught the Bengaluru FC forwards more than twice.
Every time Al-Amna got the ball, the Syrian ran into the Bengaluru FC box in hope of fostering a goal scoring chance.
That chance remained elusive for Aizawl FC as Bengaluru FC’s compact defending kept them at bay.
Lalram Chullova missed from the penalty spot right at the dying embers of the match as the full-time scoreline read 1-0 in Bengaluru FC’s favour.
Meanwhile, Mohun Bagan kept their title defence on track by defeating arch-rivals East Bengal 2-0 to enter the final of the Federation Cup football tournament at the Barabati Stadium here on Sunday.
Darryl Duffy (35th minute) gave Mohun Bagan the lead before half-time before his fellow striker Balwant Singh (84th minute) produced an acrobatic finish to make the issue safe in the final minutes.
Mohun Bagan, who have won the Federation Cup for a record 14 times, will meet Bengaluru FC in the final. This is the 19th time that the Kolkata giants have entered the summit clash of this tournament. (Agencies)
