132nd Durand Cup: Bodoland FC end campaign with historic win over Odisha FC

Bodoland FC ended their maiden campaign in the Durand Cup campaign with a historic 2-1 win over Odisha FC, their first win in the 132nd edition of the prestigious tournament here on Saturday.

Playing their final Group F fixture of the 132nd Durand Cup at Kokrajhar’s SAI Stadium, the home side rode on second-half strikes by Maneshwar Mushahary and Cameroonian Zacharie Mbenda to come from behind and register a famous and memorable win.

Pungte Lapung had scored first to give Odisha the lead but things did not go their way for the ISL club after that.

As things stand in Group F, both Bodoland and Odisha finished with three points, whereas the Indian Army are sitting pretty at the top with six points and a game in hand against Rajasthan United FC who are also currently on three points.

Coach Amit Rana made no changes to his Odisha starting XI at the SAI Stadium in Kokrajhar whereas Daimalu Basumatary, the Bodoland coach made as many as eight changes to the side that played the Army in the previous match. They and his substitutions later on, did seem to work in the end result.

The Juggernauts had a great chance to score in the 20th minute when Aphaoba Singh was put through by Pungte, but despite getting a good crack in wet underfoot conditions, he could not hit the target. The home side’s best chance in an otherwise barren first half came to striker Nicodim, but he too could not hit the target with only the keeper to beat.

The goal for the Kalinga Warriors came from the same Aphaoba-Pungte combination, but the former turned provider in this instance. The cross from Aphaoba from inside the box on the right flank was meant for Dheeraj Datta, who had come on as a substitute and had overlapped. Dheeraj, with a marker on him, missed, more due to underfoot conditions than anything but it fell invitingly for Pungte who was following the ball. The 20-year-old Arunachal Pradesh forward nailed his right-footer past a few Bodoland legs and keeper Brahma into the bottom left corner.

Then in the 80th minute, Maneshwar Mushahary, who had just come on as a substitute, brought the roof down at the SAI Stadium with the equalizer. The ball was floated into the Juggernaut’s box from just inside their half by Situ Basumatary. Odisha keeper Niraj Kumar came forward and rose to collect but Maneshwar’s head beat him to it and the game was tied.

The winner came in the final minute of regulation time when two more substitutes combined for Bodoland. Ghanaian Joe Aidoo put the ball through inside the box for Irakadu Khakhlari, who drove in and cut back for Cameroonian striker Zacharie Mbenda to finish.