Bagan enters final after penalty shootout victory

KOLKATA: ATK Mohun Bagan came out 4-3 victor on penalties against defending champion Hyderabad FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) semi-final, sealing a spot in the title decider.

The tie’s scoreline remained 0-0 after 120 minutes of football in the second leg at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Monday. Vishal Kaith’s save from Javier Siverio’s penalty followed by a miss from Bartholomew Ogbeche allowed ATKMB to win the shootout with captain Pritam Kotal’s spot-kick.

A series of ATKMB attacks tested Hyderabad for most of the match. Glan Martins’s long-range effort flew inches wide of the far post. From the resulting goal-kick, Gurmeet Singh played it straight to Dimitri Petratos, who ran at goal and took a shot while an unmarked Kiyan Nassiri waited. Moments later, Manvir Singh cut in and rattled the crossbar from the edge of the box.

A brilliant cross from Asish Rai went straight to Hugo Boumous, who side-footed to force a save out of Gurmeet. Slavko Damjanovic, who was solid at the back for the ‘Mariners’, came close to giving it the lead in the 81st minute when Petratos whipped in a free-kick and the defender’s shot went inches wide.

In the eighth minute of the first period of extra time, Lalrinliana Hnamte’s shot from range grazed the outside of the far post. In the shootout, Kaith saved Siverio’s penalty before Ogbeche fired his spot-kick onto the post. Brendan Hamill, who was brought on in the 114th minute, missed for ATKMB, but home team had enough of a cushion to seal the semi-final win.

RESULT: Semi-finals: Second leg: ATK Mohun Bagan 0 drew with Hyderabad FC 0 (ATKMB won 4-3 on penalties after the tie ended 0-0)