Durand Cup: Mohun Bagan Pip Punjab FC To Enter Semi-Final, Bengaluru FC Too Advance

Bengaluru FC will face defending champions Mohun Bagan in the second semifinal of the Durand Cup after the two teams secured contrasting wins in their respective last-eight clashes on Friday. While Mohun Bagan edged past Punjab FC 6-5 in tie-breaker after both sides ended 3-3 in regulation time, a late injury-time goal by Pererya Diaz ensured a 1-0 win for the Blues over Kerala Blasters in another quarterfinals. In a match where fortune swung like a pendulum, it was Luca Majcen who gave Punjab FC the lead in the 17th minute courtesy a spot-kick but Suhail Bhat (44th) and Manvir Singh (48th) put the green and maroon brigade ahead at the start of the second half.

Punjab were up 3-2 by the 71st minute with Filip Mrzljak (63rd) and Norberto Ezequiel Vidal (71st) finding the back of the net.

However, Aussie star Jason Cummings restored parity in the 79th minute to take the game into the extra time.

In the tie-breaker, Cummings missed Bagan's first spot-kick but Punjab's Croatian defender Novoselec was stopped by Mariners keeper Vishal Kaith from converting the fifth kick when they were on cusp of victory. It was Greg Stewart who promptly brought Bagan back on level terms.

As sudden death kicked in, Melroy Assisi converted for the Shers and so did Subhashish Bose and Aldred with the winning kick for MBSG, but Vishal's second save, this time off Denechandram Meetei, turned decisive in the end.

Among Bagan's other scorers in the tie-breaker were Manvir, Liston Colaco and Dimi Petratos while Vinit Rai, Vidal, Bakenga and Mrzljak scored for the losers.

The other match at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan started on a tense note when Kerala Blasters' goalkeeper Som Kumar clashed heads with Bengaluru's striker Pererya Diaz,