Mohun Bagan Beat Kerala Blasters, FC Goa Overcome Punjab FC To Enter Super Cup Semifinals

Indian Super League Shield and Cup winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) beat Kerala Blasters 2-1 to enter the Super Cup semifinals in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. MBSG, fielding an all-Indian squad, except for Portuguese defender Nuno Reis, scored once in each half through Sahal Abdul Samad (22nd minute) and Suhail Ahmad Bhat (51st). Sreekuttan MS (90 4) pulled one back for the Blasters, but it was too little, too late for the Kerala side. Later in the day, FC Goa produced a sensational late comeback to defeat Punjab FC 2-1 and book a semifinal date with MBSG on Wednesday.

Punjab FC, who had taken the lead early in the second half through Ezequiel Vidal (57th), looked set for a famous win. However, two quick goals in the space of three minutes from Borja Herrera and Mohammed Yasir in the dying minutes turned the game on its head, leaving Punjab heartbroken.

Earlier, the match between Mohun Bagan and Kerala Blasters began at a leisurely pace, with both teams not committing many bodies in the opposition half. After 20 minutes of no goal-mouth action, Mohun Bagan SG churned out the opener with their first meaningful attack.

With lightning footwork, Salahudheen Adnan twisted and turned past left-back Naocha Singh and slipped a cross into the six-yard box. Getting on the end of it was Samad, who swiftly evaded Ruivah Hormipam's challenge and dinked the ball over goalkeeper Sachin Suresh to make it 1-0 in the 22nd minute.

From then on Kerala Blasters grew desperate for the equaliser. Noah Sadaoui cut in from the right and took a shot from distance, but he didn't get enough elevation, and the ball landed straight into the gloves of MBSG goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh.

The Blasters became increasingly dangerous from corners. In the 30th