Juan Quero's brace helped DSK Shivajians beat Bengaluru FC 2-0 to throw open Group B of the Federation Cup at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha on Wednesday. The result means the two teams advancing to the semifinals from the group will be decided in the third round of matches on Friday.
Quero's first goal from the penalty spot in the 71st minute was shortly followed by a second from a free-kick in the 76th minute.
Mohun Bagan still lead Group B with three points and are virtually through -- they can seal a place in the last four with a win against Lajong in their second game.
Lallianzuala and Quero utilised the wings well and searched for an early goal. In the 9th minute, Lallianzuala connected on a cross from the left flank, but was flagged offside.
For Bengaluru, the first real chance came in the 19th minute when a corner kick was met by a John Johnson header, only for DSK to make a goal-line clearance. Three minutes later, BFC had another chance from a set piece after Juan Fernandez's header flew inches past the DSK goal off a Cameron Watson free-kick.
Bengaluru forced two saves from Subrata Pal early in the second half, most notably from a Eugene shot, followed by a dangerous corner routine.
In the 70th minute, DSK were awarded a penalty after Lallianzuala was brought down in the box. A cool finish by Quero from the spot gave Dave Roger's men the lead. The Spaniard got his second minutes later with a superb free-kick from 30 yards out.
Bagan edge Shillong
Defending champions Mohun Bagan got their second win of the Federation Cup in as many matches, after Sanjoy Sen's men defeated Shillong Lajong 3-2 at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha on Wednesday.
Strikes by Darryl Duffy (5'), Sony Norde (27') and Katsumi Yusa (43') cancelled out Pritam Kotal's third-minute own goal and Yuta Kinowaki's 80th-minute goal to aid Bagan's quest in progressing to the semi-finals. Currently, Mohun Bagan sit on top of Group B with six points out of two matches.
The action began when Kotal scored in his own net in an attempt to clear a cross, to hand Lajong the lead, which Bagan cancelled out in the fifth minute.
Duffy rounded off Vishal Kaith after the Lajong custodian came way out of his lines, giving the Bagan forward plenty of time to steer the ball past Kaith and into the net.
Lajong rattled the post in the seventh minute after Samuel Shadap's header just missed the target. Six minutes later, Lajong's defence made a goal-line clearance off Duffy's shot from a tight angle.
Norde, in the 27th minute, handed Bagan the lead when his well-timed freekick from 25 yards out sent the ball curling into the back of the net. In the 39th minute, Duffy could have extended Bagan's lead but Kaith made a quick reflex save from close range to deny him.
Four minutes later, Yusa bundled home a Norde shot, which was going wide of the goal on the far post, to double Bagan's lead. The half-time scoreline read 3-1 in Bagan's favour.
Bagan did not take a breather in the second half, with substitute Prabir Das coming close to scoring in the 54th minute.
Bagan played deep and soaked up the pressure piled by Thangboi Singto's men. Issac came close to scoring in the 58th minute but Debjit Majumder was quicker than him in getting to the ball.
The defensive pairing of Anas and Eduardo did not allow the Lajong forwards time on the ball, while the Bagan midfield dropped back to beef numbers in defence and safeguard the lead. However, Kinowaki scored in the 80th minute to reduce Lajong's deficit, taking advantage of a lapse in Bagan's defence.