Football

Punjab FC emerged victorious in their final Group C match of the 133rd Durand Cup, defeating Mumbai City FC 3-0 at the Kishore Bharati Stadium on Sunday. The win propelled Punjab FC to the top of the group standings, while Mumbai City FC, fielding a young reserve team, finished without a point.Norwegian forward Mushaga Bakenga was the star of the show for Punjab FC, scoring twice, including a crucial penalty in injury time. Croatian midfielder Filip Mrzljak also found the net for the winning side.The match began with Punjab FC dominating possession and creating several chances. However, Mumbai City FC's young defenders held firm, preventing the Shers from finding the breakthrough.As the first half progressed, Mumbai City FC grew into the game and began to threaten Punjab FC's goal. However, the Shers' defense remained resolute, and the teams went into the break with the score still 0-0.The second half saw Punjab FC continue to press for the opening goal. Their efforts were rewarded in the 62nd minute when Bakenga broke the deadlock with a clinical finish.Mumbai City FC responded well to the setback and pushed for an equalizer. However, Punjab FC's defense held strong, and the Shers doubled their lead in the 90th minute through Mrzljak.In the dying moments of the match, Mumbai City FC conceded a penalty, which Bakenga converted to seal the victory for Punjab FC.The win sees Punjab FC finish their group league engagements tied with Kerala Blasters on seven points. However, Kerala Blasters took the top spot in the final standings for having a superior goal difference. Punjab FC remains the best second-placed team currently in the tournament and will now have to wait for the results of the other matches to confirm its place in the knockouts.

Punjab FC kicked off their Durand Cup campaign with a dominant 3-0 victory over CISF Protectors in a Group C match at the Kishore Bharati Stadium on Tuesday. The Punjab-based club controlled the game from the start and took the lead through their captain, Luka Majcen, in the 29th minute. The Slovenian forward doubled the advantage in the 58th minute with another impressive finish. Vinit Rai sealed the win for Punjab FC by converting a penalty in the 76th minute.In another Group C match, Sudeva Delhi FC played out a goalless draw with Army Green. Both teams had chances to win the game, but neither could find the back of the net.Meanwhile, in Group E, NorthEast United FC secured a 2-0 victory over local side Bodoland FC at the SAI Stadium in Kokrajhar. Jithin M.S. opened the scoring for NorthEast United in the 49th minute, and Ankith Padmanabhan added a second in the 90th minute to seal the win.In other Group E action, TRAU FC defeated Kenkre FC 2-1. Bidyashagar Singh gave TRAU FC the lead in the 10th minute, but Kenkre FC equalized through Aniket Jadhav in the 25th minute. TRAU FC regained the lead in the 55th minute through Salam Ranjan Singh, and they held on to secure the victory.

Punjab FC's impressive performance on Wednesday night at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi propelled them to a resounding 4-1 victory over East Bengal FC, effectively eliminating the Kolkata giants from the Indian Super League (ISL) playoffs contention. This triumph also secured the sixth and final playoff berth for Chennaiyin FC.Despite being out of the playoff race themselves, Punjab FC showcased their attacking prowess with their famed attacking trio of Wilmar Jordan Gil, Madih Talal, and Luka Majcen all finding the back of the net. The Staikos Vergetis-coached side outplayed East Bengal FC on the flanks, delivering lethal crosses into the box that were expertly converted by their forwards.East Bengal FC, who needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, could only muster a solitary goal from Sayan Banerjee in the 25th minute. Punjab FC had already taken the lead through Gil's clinical finish, assisted by Tekcham Singh. Talal restored Punjab FC's lead before the break, capitalizing on a pass from Manglenthang Kipgen.In the second half, Gil extended Punjab FC's advantage with a composed finish, assisted by Talal. East Bengal FC's desperate search for an equalizer left gaps in their defense, which Punjab FC exploited to their advantage.The victory not only ended East Bengal FC's playoff aspirations but also highlighted the attacking capabilities of Punjab FC. Despite their early exit from the playoffs, Punjab FC can take solace in their impressive performance against a strong East Bengal FC side.