New Delhi: Rank outsiders Army XI, Bangalore, did the unthinkable as they stunned favourites Sporting Club de Goa 5-4 in penalty shootout to lift their maiden Durand Cup trophy at the Ambedkar stadium on Saturday.
Both the teams failed to score in the regulation time and extra time and the Bangalore side was second time lucky to emerge winners in the tie-breaker in the tournament after theirsimilar semifinal win against JCT, Phagwara.
Star striker and tournament highest scorer Macpherlin Omagbemi Dudu's left footed penalty kick was saved by Army substitute goalkeeper Abungobi Singh to the jubiliation of crowd dominated by Army supporters, after four Sporting players -- Chidi Edeh, Nicolas Rodrigues, Rajesh Meetei and Hardeep Saini -- found their targets.
For the winners, all five -- Ramachander, Thirunavukarusu, S Ramesh, Binod Bantava and Raghu Kumar -- converted their penalties.
However, the Goan side, who made their first final appearance in the tournament, were to blame themselves for the debacle with thier strikers -- especally Dudu -- failing to find the net.
They missed easy chances though lady luck favoured their rivals and woodwork came to the rescue of the Army side twice in the 22nd and 51st minutes of the match.
For the Army side, who were successful in their second attempt to lift the coveted trophy after being beaten 0-3 by East Bengal in 2002 final, the match went almost to their script with their players continued the ploy of hot chase of rival players and giving them little space to manouever as they did against JCT.
Dudu and Chidi were swarmed By Army marksmen everytime they touch the ball.
In spite of all the Army efforts to keep the rivals at bay, the National League runners could have walked away with the trophy had Dudu been successful in converting three clear chances in the 66th and 4th and 21st minutes of extra time, but each time Army goalkeeper Robi Kanta Singh, who was at his best under the bars today, saved all of them.
Army XI were richer by Rs 5 lakhs for their win, while Sporting collected Rs 2 lakh and the two semifinalists (Assam Rifles, Shillong, and JCT, Phagwara) Rs 1 lakh each.
Five promising players -- T Akum Ao (Assam Rifles), Rajesh Meetei (Sporting Goa), Irudayaraj (Army XI), Parveen KUmar (JCT) and H Thomte (Air India) -- were awraded Rs 5000 each.
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