Local side Bodoland FC registered their first win of the 134th Durand Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over debutants Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC.
KOKRAJHAR — Local side Bodoland FC (BDFC) registered their first win of the 134th Durand Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over debutants Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC (KAMSFC) in a tightly-contested Group D clash at the SAI Stadium here on Thursday.
Karbi Anglong struck first through Nigerian forward Joseph Mayowa Olaleye, but Bodoland responded swiftly with an equaliser from Gwgwmsar Gayary in the 37th minute. Colombian striker Robinson calmly slotted home at the hour mark to secure all three points for the local side.
BDFC head coach Vikash Panthi fielded a strong 4-2-3-1 lineup led by Colombian striker Robinson Blandon Rendon, while KAMSFC’s head coach C A Laldinsang Pudaite made four changes from their last game, with Nigerian forward Joseph Mayowa Olaleye spearheading the attack.
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The early exchanges were cagey, with BDFC having the first clear chance when Robinson found himself one-on-one with Karbi Anglong keeper Wellyster Mendes, only for the play to be flagged offside. Pedro Astray’s free-kick in the 11th minute for BDFC also struck the wall, as both sides struggled to create meaningful openings.
Momentum shifted in the 22nd minute when Karbi Anglong launched a swift counter. Nigerian forward Olaleye was brought down just outside the box, earning a free kick. Joseph Bempah’s effort was well-saved by BDFC keeper Birkhang Diamary.
But the pressure told three minutes later when Wellyster’s long ball from the Karbi Anglong half caught the BDFC defence off guard. Olaleye latched onto it, beat the last defender, and drilled a powerful low strike into the near post to put KAMSFC ahead in the 25th minute.
Bodoland FC found the equaliser in the 37th minute through winger Gwgwmsar Gayary. A long diagonal ball from midfield found Gayary on the left, who headed into the danger area. A failed clearance by KAMSFC captain Harbamon Timung gave Gayary a second chance, and he made no mistake in firing it past Wellyster Mendes to make it 1-1.
BDFC nearly took the lead in first-half stoppage time when Robinson left a defender on the turf with a clever run but missed the target. Another teasing free-kick from Pedro found Robinson again, but he failed to convert from close range as the half ended 1-1.
The second half resumed with both teams trying to take control. Haokip (KAMSFC) and Pedro (BDFC) traded tame free kicks in the opening five minutes, both collected comfortably by the respective goalkeepers.
The best opportunity of the second half for Karbi Anglong came in the 56th minute when Sujit Singh broke free, but his shot lacked placement and went straight to Diamary.
Bodoland FC capitalised on the missed chance. In the 60th minute, a corner from Pedro was headed on target by Abdul Samed, blocked but not cleared. Skipper Hazowary delivered a curling cross from the left, and this time Robinson made no mistake, tapping in the ball between the keeper’s legs to put BDFC 2-1 ahead.
The play was halted briefly around the 75th minute due to a swarm of bees invading the pitch, forcing players and officials to hit the ground for safety. On the resumption of play, KAMSFC built momentum with a promising passing sequence, but Pedro made a vital interception to deny them.
Despite box-to-box action in the final minutes and late pressure from Karbi Anglong, BDFC maintained their composure to see out the game and seal all three points. With this result, Bodoland FC keep their hopes of progressing from Group D alive, while Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC suffer their second straight defeat, putting them on the brink of elimination.
Friday’s fixtures:
I-League side Real Kashmir FC will make their Durand Cup debut against the Indian Navy Football Team in a Group F encounter at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium, Imphal, kickoff scheduled at 4:00 PM. With the previous Group F match, the Imphal Derby, ending in a thrilling draw, a win for either team could prove pivotal in the race for a quarterfinal berth.
Later in the evening, the action will move to Kishore Bharati Krirangan (KBK) in Kolkata, where the Border Security Force Football Team (BSF FT) will face Diamond Harbour FC in a Group B clash starting at 7:00 PM. Diamond Harbour, having already registered a win against Mohammedan SC, will be eyeing another victory to strengthen their bid for a top-place finish and qualification to the next round.