Hyderabad, Dec 26: West Bengal defeated neighbours Odisha 3-1 to qualify for the semifinals of the 78th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy here on Thursday.
Odisha had a bright start to the game as Rakesh Oram put them in the lead in the 25th minute.
Bengal found the equaliser at the stroke of half time through Narohari Shrestha and struck twice more via Robi Hansda (70th) and substitute Manotos Maji (90+2nd) to enter the semifinals for the 52nd time.
Hansda’s ninth goal of the campaign saw him pull further away in the goal-scorers chart.
For record champions West Bengal, tackling adversity was the one challenge they did not expect from this game, against a team that had qualified for the knockouts by the skin of their teeth.
Yet, Odisha became the second team to breach the Bengal defence in the Santosh Trophy this season, with Oram scoring the first goal of the day in the 25th minute through a header off a corner by Bikash Kumar Sahoo.
Odisha’s luck finally ran out in the final minute of the first half when seasoned forward Shrestha drew Bengal level with a firm right-footer.
West Bengal for their part were profligate with the ball, and especially in the final third. It took the best out of their main man Hansda to give them the lead.
The forward added his ninth goal to a brilliant Santosh Trophy campaign in the 77th minute.
It was a measured left-footed half volley from top of the box after Shreshta headed it down for him.
A deflated Odisha tried their best to get back into the game, but by now West Bengal had settled and held them at an arm’s length.
A third goal by Maji deep in injury time off a counter-attack sealed the win, and ensured that West Bengal’s quest for the 33rd title rolls on.
With this hard-fought victory, West Bengal once again showcased their resilience and pedigree in Indian football’s premier state-level competition. (PTI)
