Bengaluru FC Secure Dramatic Last-Second Victory to Advance to Durand Cup Semi-Finals

Bengaluru FC  – 1 (Pereyra Diaz 90+5’)                                                                                  Kerala Blasters FC – 0 

Kolkata, August 23, 2024:  Bengaluru FC clinched a thrilling 1-0 victory over Kerala Blasters in the last quarter-final of the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup, played here at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) on Friday. A late injury-time goal by Pererya Diaz ensured the Blues advanced to the next round of the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup, where they will face Mohun Bagan SG in the second semi-finals.

All 43 matches of the 133rd IndianOil Durand Cup will be broadcast LIVE on the Sony Sports Network (Sony Ten2 HD) as well as livestreamed on the SonyLiv OTT platform.

Both teams entered the match with a 4-3-3 formation. Bengaluru FC, under coach Gerard Zaragoza, made six changes to their starting lineup, while Kerala Blasters’ coach Mikael Stahre opted for two changes. The game started with a tense moment in the opening minute itself when Kerala Blasters’ goalkeeper Som Kumar clashed heads with Bengaluru’s striker Pererya Diaz, forcing the Tuskers’s coach to make an early substitution and bringing in backup goalkeeper Sachin.

The first half was a display of tactical play, with both sides testing each other’s defences but failing to break the deadlock. Bengaluru FC dominated possession, but despite their control, they couldn’t capitalise, with only one of their six shots on target. Kerala Blasters came close to scoring in the 26th minute, but Blues’ goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu denied the effort from Noah Wail Sadaoui.

The second half saw the Blues pushing forward aggressively, but they were unable to convert their opportunities. A notable chance came in the 56th minute, but Pererya Diaz failed to connect with a cross from Shivaldo. Bengaluru continued to dominate possession, yet their efforts were consistently thwarted by a resilient Kerala defence. Sunil Chhetri’s introduction in the 67th minute added more pressure on Kerala Blasters, but both teams struggled 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 by the wall, leading to a corner. From that corner, Pererya Diaz finally broke the deadlock, slotting the ball into the near post in the 94th minute to seal the win for Bengaluru FC.

With this hard-fought victory, Bengaluru FC will now prepare to face Mohun Bagan SG in the semi-finals, following Mohun Bagan’s 6-5 penalty shootout win over Punjab FC earlier in the day, after a 3-3 scoreline in the regulation time.

ABOUT DURAND CUP

A symbol of India’s football history and culture, the Durand Cup is Asia’s oldest and the world’s third oldest football tournament. Organised by the Indian Army on behalf of the three Services, the Durand Cup has been the breeding ground for India’s best footballing talent, over the years.

The inaugural edition happened in Shimla in 1888 and then the tournament moved to New Delhi in 1940, where it was held till 2016. In 2019, the tournament came under the aegis of the Eastern Command and moved to the eastern part of the country, with Kolkata, the Mecca of Indian football and the Eastern Command Headquarters, being the home base. What makes the Durand Cup even more unique is that the winners get three trophies, two rotating (Durand Cup and Shimla Trophy) and one for permanent keep (President’s Cup).

As we embark on this exciting journey over the coming weeks, let us celebrate the beautiful game of football, honour the traditions of the Durand Cup, and look forward to witnessing moments of brilliance that will be etched in our memories forever.