Bengaluru FC reaches Durand Cup final after narrow 1-0 win against Hyderabad FC

Bengaluru FC made it to the final of the 131st Durand Cup as it got the better of the Indian Super League champion Hyderabad FC by a solitary goal in the second semifinal match, at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Thursday.
The decider of the match came in the form of an own-goal from Hyderabad’s Spanish defender Odei Zabala, who miscued an attempted clearance into his own net. Bengaluru FC will now meet its ISL rival Mumbai City FC in the title clash scheduled on Sunday.
The first half produced the only goal of the match at the half-hour mark when a combination between Jayesh Rane and Prabir Das saw the latter issuing a sharp cross for an onrushing upfront colleague Roy Krishna. The Fijian forward failed to connect the ball which then took the touch of the outstretched legs of Odei to find its way into the Hyderabad goal.
Hyderabad FC enjoyed more ball possession and also had the bigger share of creating opportunities but its attackers somehow failed to beat Gurpreet Singh Sandhu in the Bengaluru goal. The Indian international looked unbeatable as he made at least four good saves to keep the score-line in favour of Bengaluru FC.
Hyderabad FC had the first good chance in the eighth minute when a miss-pass from Sunil Chhetri saw Hyderabad winger Halicharan Narzary releasing Bartholomew Ogbece unmarked inside the Bengaluru box.
The Nigerian forward’s attempt was easily parried by Sandhu, who saved at least two more good attempts of the former later in the match. Bengaluru did well in preserving the one-goal lead for the entire duration of the action as it played a well-planned defensive game and made the most of the Hyderabad attack’s tentativeness inside the box.