Bengaluru FC, Mohun Bagan Advance to Durand Cup Semifinals

Bengaluru FC and Mohun Bagan have secured their spots in the semifinals of the Durand Cup after thrilling victories in their respective quarterfinal matches.

Mohun Bagan emerged victorious in a penalty shootout against Punjab FC, prevailing 6-5 after a 3-3 draw in regulation time. Punjab took an early lead through Luca Majcen's penalty, but Suhail Bhat and Manvir Singh put Mohun Bagan ahead in the second half. Filip Mrzljak and Norberto Ezequiel Vidal restored Punjab's advantage, but Jason Cummings equalized for Mohun Bagan in the 79th minute.

In the penalty shootout, Mohun Bagan's Greg Stewart and Aldred converted crucial spot-kicks, while Punjab's Novoselec and Denechandram Meetei missed their attempts. Manvir, Liston Colaco, and Dimi Petratos also scored for Mohun Bagan, while Vinit Rai, Vidal, Bakenga, and Mrzljak found the net for Punjab.

In the other quarterfinal, Bengaluru FC edged past Kerala Blasters 1-0 thanks to a late injury-time goal from Pererya Diaz. The match started with a tense moment as Kerala Blasters' goalkeeper Som Kumar collided with Diaz, forcing the Tuskers to substitute their goalkeeper.

Bengaluru FC dominated possession but struggled to break down Kerala Blasters' defense. Sunil Chhetri's introduction in the 67th minute added pressure on Kerala Blasters, but both teams failed to find a decisive moment.

In the dying moments of injury time, Bengaluru was awarded a free-kick just outside the box. Chhetri's attempt was blocked, but Diaz pounced on the rebound and slotted the ball into the near post to secure the win for Bengaluru FC.

In the semifinals, Bengaluru FC will face defending champions Mohun Bagan, while Northeast United FC will take on Shillong Lajong FC.

Tags: #DurandCup, #BengaluruFC, #MohunBagan, #PunjabFC, #KeralaBlasters