IMAGE: Action from the match between Mumbai Ciity FC and Indian Navy FT in Kolkata on Saturday. Photograph: Kind courtesy Durand Cup/Twitter
Mumbai City FC qualified for the quarter-finals of the ongoing Durand Cup with a dominating 4-0 victory over Indian Navy FT in Kolkata on Saturday.
Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Greg Stewart, Gurkirat Singh and Nathan Asher Rodrigues scored for Mumbai, who finished the group stage with nine points from three matches.
At Kokrajhar, Bodoland FC ended their maiden Durand Cup campaign with a historic 2-1 win over Odisha FC, their first win in the iconic tournament.
Playing their final Group F fixture, the home side rode on second-half strikes by Maneshwar Mushahary and Cameroonian Zacharie Mbenda to come from behind and register a famous win.
Pungte Lapung had scored first to give Odisha the lead.
Earlier, Mumbai were on the attack from the go, creating chances as the attackers were troubling the Navy defence continuously.
Navy’s resistance was broken in the 34th minute as Mumbai took the lead. Bipin Singh’s pass from the left found Pereyra Diaz who had to just tap in to score.
Mumbai doubled their lead in the 62nd minute as Lallinzuala Chhangte’s cross from the right was headed in by Greg Stewart.
Gurkirat Singh received a through ball from Greg Stewart and finished past the Navy keeper to score his first goal of the tournament as Mumbai went up 3-0.
Nathan Asher Rodrigues then applied the finishing touches to the match in the sixth minute of injury time. He took advantage of a loose ball from a corner inside the box and finished to give Mumbai their fourth goal.
As Group F stands, both Bodoland and Odisha end with three points, whereas the Indian Army are sitting pretty at the top with six points and a game in hand against Rajasthan United FC who are also currently on three points.
NorthEast United FC and Downtown Heroes will clash in a Group D match at Guwahati’s Indira Gandhi Athletic stadium, while Mohammedan Sporting and Jamshedpur FC will face off at the Kishore Bharati Stadium in Kolkata in Group B on Sunday.
