FC Bengaluru United (FCBU) were the first team from the group to qualify for the knockouts when they beat Indian Air Force 4-2 at the same venue on Thursday, to log six points from two games. MDSP did the same today, after having won 4-1 against the Airmen in the tournament opener. Both teams clash in their third and final game, now crucial to determine group standings, in Kalyani again, come Tuesday.

CRPF did give a good account of themselves yet again, creating several chances but could not convert any of them. In the words of the their coach Dayal Singh Bhati after the game, “We can divide the game into two halves. In the first half, we gave it our all, created chances but could not convert. In the second, they played better and our team collapsed in the end. But I am happy and proud at the way my boys performed.”

Central defender Amarjeet Singh could have put his team ahead in the first minute itself having found space inside the box to shoot, but could not hit the target. Amarjeet then missed a couple of headers, one in the first-half and another in the second.

In the 13th minute however, Faisal took a corner for MDSP and played it short just outside the box, got it back to drive in and cross low for Azharuddin Mallick, who deflected it past the keeper from the near post.

MDSP took that one goal lead into the break although CRPF could have almost equalised minutes before the half-time whistle when midfielder Rajinder Kumar executed a spectacular bicycle-kick from inside the box. It was headed for goal but was cleared in time by the MDSP defense.

After the break, Dashpreet, the star of CRPF’s first game and who had a relatively quite game on the day, unleashed a pile driver in the 58th minute, which was parried away by the keeper and then came off the crossbar.

It was then left to Marcus to seal the deal for MDSP and he did it in style, scoring two in two minutes. Azhar then added a fourth, four minutes from regulation time.

It was to be a goalfest though and Dashpreet finally got on the scoreboard, tapping one in from a melee inside the MDSP six-yard box and substitute Brandon then added a fifth for MDSP and the second of the game in injury time.

Azharuddin Mallick for his two goals and an assist dervedlygot the Man of the Match award.

MDSP’s Russian Team Manager Andrey  Chernyshov said after the game, “It was not an easy game as the scorelinesuggests. They played well and had their chances in the first half but we came back strong in the second half and I have thanked the boys for a great result in the end.”

Azhar Mallick said there would be no let up in the final group game against FCBU commenting, “We are happy to have scored nine in two games and concede only two. However, we take it match by match and we will go all out for a win in the final game as well.”

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CRPF began growing into the game in the first half, thanks in particular to a fine display by midfielder Dashpreet Singh, although Manzi had an early sight at goal. CRPF had as many as five corners in the half and came close to scoring a couple of times, but their forwards Amit Gayen and Ramesh Dolai could not capitalise.

The team from the South in Red and Black stripes finally went ahead in the 63rd minute when Manzi finally converted. He had earlier missed a couple of more chances in the first half and had hit the crossbar from a free-kick just minutes ahead of the goal.

Whatever hopes CRPF had of staging a comeback was dealt a stealth blow in the 27th minute of the second half, when just before the hydration break, their keeper Moses Antony was sent-off by referee Rahul Gupta for a handball just outside the box. He was immediately replaced by reserve keeper Shakti Das, but it was still an uphill task for the 10-man CRPF side.

The policemen still fought on gamely with a Rajinder, who also had a good game incidentaly, effort from just outside the box, five minutes from close, missing the target and failing to trouble Bengaluru keeper Kunzang Bhutia. He also hit the crossbar in the dying minutes but still could not get the equaliser.

Pedro Manzi was deservedly declared the Man of the Match for the game.

Speaking after the game Manzi said, “I arrived just two weeks before in India and I am happy to score the first goal for the team in their first Durand Cup appearance. I am loving my stay and the team and the owners, officials all have treated me like family.”

The vanquished CRPF coach Dayal Singh Bhati hoped for a better show in the next game saying, “we had a few chances in the first half and then in the second half some decisions influenced the outcome. But I am happy with the performance as Bengaluru are a good team and we fought very well.”

FC Bengaluru United Head Coach Richard Hood also spoke after the game saying, “We are happy with the three points as that was the target and we hope to pickup nine points and make it through. The conditions are very different in Bengaluru but as professionals we are used to adjust to all conditions and have settled down well.”

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