Sporting Club de Goa win in final group game but Bengaluru enter semifinal on head to head

by Chittu Shetty November 10, 2021

Despite a comprehensive win in the final group game for Sporting Club de Goa, Bengaluru FC with a better head-to-head record progressed to the semi-final.

Bengaluru through to Futsal Club Championship semifinal

Bengaluru FC scripted their route into the semifinal of the inaugural Hero Futsal Club Championship, finishing atop Group B despite a 2-3 defeat to Kuppuraj FC, at the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium, in New Delhi, on Tuesday. The Blues, who had beaten Sporting Clube de Goa and Speed Force FC, made their way through with a better head-to-head record against both sides, and will face Mohammedan SC in the semifinal, scheduled to take place on November 12th.

In a scrappy first period, it was the Pondicherry-based side that took the lead as Maria Vivek slotted home from a free-kick in the 13th minute. The Blues pushed forward for an equaliser, but it took the break and a little more to find it as substitute Shighil NS, back from a one-game suspension, found the far post to make things level in the 25th minute.

Bengaluru looked to have turned things around just past the half-hour mark when Bekey Oram converted Edwin Rossario’s reverse pass, but the response from Kuppuraj was instant, as Vivek found the net once again only seconds later, on the other side. Kuppuraj would take the lead five minutes later through Ganapathy, who nodded home a long throw from Judson over Manik to give Kuppuraj the lead with less than five minutes left.

The Blues pressed forward once again in an attempt to restore parity, but shots from Shighil and Fanai were blocked away, as the game drew to a close. Bengaluru next face Mohammedan SC, winners of Group A, in the first semifinal, at the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium, in Delhi, on Friday.

Sporting Clube de Goa secure comprehensive win against Speedforce FC

Sporting went off like a rocket, as Rohit Totad put the ball into the back of the net within seconds of the referee’s whistle. Rohit scored his second 5 minutes later to double his side’s advantage, but Zubair Sultan and Shubham Dayma scored on the 11th and 13th minute to bring the game back on level terms. Lloyd Cardozo put Sporting back in front and then an unfortunate own goal from Sayeed Ali doubled their lead.

Going into half-time, the score was at 4-2, and at the start of the second half, the Sporting players made sure that there was no way back for the opposition team. Lloyd Cardozo scored his second goal of the game in the 21st minute, and Rohit Totad completed his hat-trick just a minute later.

Fardeen Ahmed and Ibrahim Ali did pull a couple of goals back for Speedforce FC, but this time Lloyd Cardozo put the ball into the back of the net to complete his hat-trick.

Syed Khaja scored in the 33rd minute but Speed Force FC could not go for a final burst, with Rohit Totad scoring his fourth and last goal of the game. This was the second win of the tournament for Sporting, but due to the head-to-head record against Bengaluru FC, it is the latter who will progress to the semi-final.

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