Bengal players celebrate after beating Services in the semifinals of the 78th National football championship for the Santosh Trophy at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Hyderabad on December 29, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Bengal knocked out defending champions Services 4-2 in the semifinals of the Santosh Trophy national football championship at the GMC Balayogi Stadium here on Sunday.
This is Bengal’s 47th entry into the final, having won it a record 32 times. Services, which had won the title seven times, was on the back foot for much of the first half. It managed to score through Bikash Thapa and an own goal by Bengal defender Juwel Ahmed Mazumder, which added some suspense to the proceedings in the second half.
The defending champion seemed to lack a coherent strategy and struggled to penetrate the Bengal defence.
The opening goal for Bengal came in the 16th minute due to Services’ inability to clear a deep long ball. Maji capitalised on the defensive lapse, controlled the ball at the edge of the box and fired home. This was Maji’s sixth goal of the tournament.
In first-half injury time, Naro Hari Shrestha’s exquisite chip found Hansda, who coolly rounded the Services goalkeeper Gagandeep Singh to notch up his 10th goal.
Moments later, Shrestha himself scored, converting a through ball from Maji, taking his tally to seven goals for the tournament.
Services fought back strongly in the second-half to reduce the margin in the 53rd minute when substitute Bikash Thapa headed in Dilon Kharka Chettri’s cross from the left.
In the 74th minute, it was ‘gifted’ a second goal when a teasing cross from the right was turned into his own net by Bengal defender Juwel Ahmed Mazumder.
In the dying minutes, Israful Dewan’s brilliant run culminated in an assist to Hansda, sparking widespread celebrations in the Bengal dug-out.
The result: Bengal 4 (Manotos Maji, 16, Robi Hansda, 45+2, 90+6, Naro Hari Shrestha, 45+4) bt Services (Bikash Thapa, 53, Juwel Ahmed Mazumder 74-og).
Published – December 29, 2024 06:31 pm IST
