ISL Cup: Chhetri's Late Goal Secures Bengaluru FC's Place in Final

India, April 6 -- A subtle touch from Namgyal Bhutia allowed him to maneuver the ball past an FC Goa defender, granting him ample time and space on the right flank of the opponent's penalty area. Bhutia glanced up to locate a teammate and delivered a well-measured cross.

In the center, Sunil Chhetri of Bengaluru FC, a stalwart in Indian football, awaited with patience. He took several quick strides toward the goal before leaping forward to head the cross into an unguarded FC Goa net, marking his 14th goal of the season in the 92nd minute.

Although Bengaluru FC lost the match 2-1 on Sunday during the second leg of the Indian Super League semi-final at Fatorda Stadium in Goa, they advanced to their fourth ISL Cup final with an aggregate score of 3-2.

The visitors arrived in Goa with a 2-0 advantage from their first leg victory at Kanteerava Stadium on Wednesday. However, that lead was erased following a brilliant free kick by Borja Herrera in the 49th minute and a well-placed header from Armando Sadiku in the 88th minute.

In the final moments of an exhilarating match, while many players struggled with the heat and humidity at Fatorda, Bengaluru FC's second-half substitutes, Ryan Williams and Chhetri, made a significant impact.

"The truth is that Ryan, (Alberto) Noguera, Suresh (Wangjam), and Rahul (Bheke) were all quite fatigued after the first leg," Bengaluru FC coach Gerard Zaragoza stated in a post-match interview with the broadcaster. "We intended to keep Ryan on the bench to exploit the space in the second half alongside Sunil."

Bengaluru FC ultimately achieved their goal, but it required considerable effort to secure the victory.

FC Goa arguably performed better throughout the match, generating more opportunities and keeping their opponents under pressure. However, they were unable to convert most of those chances—out of 21 crosses attempted in the first half alone, only three found their intended target.

Staunch defending by Bengaluru FC, and a miraculous (with a touch of fortune) double save from goalkeeper Gupreet Singh Sandhu in the 69th minute kept the visitors in the tie.

The 2018-19 season's champions are now a win away from a second ISL Cup title. Their final opponents will be either Mohun Bagan or Jamshedpur FC, with the second leg of the semis to be played in Kolkata on Monday. Jamshedpur won 2-1 in the first leg at home.

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