Kolkata: TK Mohun Bagan defeated Hyderabad FC 4-3 on penalties in the Indian Super League (ISL) semi-final at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Monday.
ATKMB defeated HFC 4-3 on penalties to book their place in the final of the Indian Super League, where they will face Bengaluru FC in Goa on March 18.
In their previous meetings this season, in the league stage, both got 1-0 home wins. The first leg of their semi-final, at the G.M.C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium.
In the semi-final last season, Hyderabad FC progressed to the final with 3-2 aggregate win over the Mariners, although ATKMB had won the second leg at home. There was a haze in the air at the Salt Lake Stadium just after the players walked out to warm up ahead of kick-off.
As the start time neared, so did the heavy cloud of smoke weigh down on the playing field. The Mariners waded tough the haze to get the first attempt on goal in the first minute itself but Kiyan Giri failed to jump high enough.
By the 10th-minute mark, Hyderabad to had a chance of their own. Bartholomew Ogbeche and Mohammad Yasir combined well but the latter’s shot from outside the box sailed over.
With the game rolling on, the directives from Juan Ferrando and Manolo Marquez’s became clearer and so did the view from the stands.
Hyderabad FC was not going to concede. ATK Mohun Bagan wanted to change that.
The pressure started to tell on the HFC defence as Subhasish Bose’s first-time cross, in the 18th minute, was plucked out in the nick of time by Gurmeet Singh.
Three minutes later, Manvir Singh’s short throw-in from the right found the Glan Martins’ feet. He looked around and drilled it from some distance as the shot whizzed past the left post.
In the 26th minute, Manvir came the closest. After cutting back in from the right, he dropped the shoulder to get past a couple of defenders, to take a stinging shot.