Mohun Bagan's Thrilling Comeback Leads to Durand Cup Final

A thrilling Durand Cup semifinal showdown at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata unfolded on Tuesday, with Mohun Bagan Super Giant overcoming a two-goal deficit to clinch a 4-3 victory over Bengaluru FC in a riveting penalty shootout. Their comeback win has set up a final against NorthEast United, where the Super Giants will look to defend their Durand Cup title on Saturday.

Mohun Bagan had an uphill battle to face after Bengaluru FC executed a solid first half performance, taking the lead through Sunil Chhetri and Vinith Venkatesh. A determined revival from Mohun Bagan led by Dimi Petratos and Anirudh Thapa levelled the score late in the second half. Their impressive comeback was capped off by Vishal Kaith's crucial penalty shootout saves off Halicharan Narzary and Aleksandar Jovanovic, granting Mohun Bagan a shot at victory.

Despite undergoing six changes from the quarterfinals and entering the match with what seemed like their strongest side, Mohun Bagan initially struggled against Bengaluru FC. Their opponents created opportunities, with Bengaluru's Chhetri getting a goal from a penalty kick after Vinith was tackled by Liston Colaco. Bengaluru's Venkatesh managed to double the lead early in the second half, taking advantage of a lapse in Bagan's defence.

Mohun Bagan's luck finally turned when Rahul Bheke of Bengaluru FC conceded a penalty that Dimi Petratos swiftly turned into a goal. The equaliser came in the form of a brilliant volley shot from Anirudh Thapa that comfortably found the back of the net. In the tense penalty shootout that followed, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu saved a shot from Greg Stewart, but Vishal Kaith ensured Bagan's victory by making one more save than his opponent, taking Mohun Bagan into the Durand Cup final.