Durand Cup 2024: Bodoland FC wins seven-goal thriller over BSF to keep knockout chances alive

Bodoland finished its group stage campaign with six points while BSF FT, who lost all its three matches, could not register a point.

Bodoland FC prevailed over Border Security Force (BSF) FT in a seven-goal thriller in group E encounter. | Photo Credit: Durand Cup

Bodoland FC prevailed over Border Security Force (BSF) FT in a seven-goal thriller to keep its knockout chances alive in Group E of the Durand Cup played here at the SAI Stadium.

Jwngbla Brahma scored a brace while Mitinga Dwimary and Sibra Narzary scored one each for the host. Kishori scored twice and Asif Khan also found the target for the BSF men.

Bodoland finished its group stage campaign with six points while BSF FT, who lost all its three matches, could not register a point.

Khlain Syiemlieh made one change to the Bodoland starting line-up with Jwngbla getting a start while BSF FT head coach Gurjit Singh Atwal made three changes in its final match with goalkeeper Harpreet Singh, Nilambar SA and Gopal Hembrom getting starts.

The host stunned BSF by scoring in the second minute of the match. Momocha Singh’s early cross was expertly finished by Mitinga to give an early lead.

Bodoland missed a golden opportunity to double the lead as Mitinga missed a sitter inside the six-yard box and the follow up shot by Ghanaian Joe Aidoo was cleared off the line.

On the other end BSF spurned a couple of chances to score as Lakhwinder Singh blasted his shot over the crossbar and moments later Kishori hit the side netting with his effort.

BSF equalised within four minutes of the restart. Kishori made full use of a miscommunication in the back between Danswrang Basumatry and the goalkeeper Draoga Brahma. Kishori latched on the loose pass and rounded the goalkeeper to score his team’s first goal of the tournament.

Bodoland pushed for the lead and received a penalty for a foul by the captain Mohammad Aasif on Zacharie Mbenda. The spot kick was converted by Jwngbla to give Bodoland the lead and within eight minutes, the local side increased its lead.

Kishori scored his second of the match, beating the offside trap from a free-kick and finishing past the goalkeeper to make the score 3-2. The BSF side did not have much time to celebrate as Jwngbla scored a left footed stunner from outside the penalty box to retain the two-goal lead for the local side.

Bodoland was reduced to ten men soon, as right back Bilson Daimari was shown the marching orders for shoving BSF’s Lakhwinder to the ground, which slowed down its efforts to score more goals.

BSF took full advantage of the extra man and scored its third in the 89th minute. Kishori setup Asif Khan inside the box and the substitute’s right footed shot creeped inside the goal under the hands of the Bodoland goalkeeper.