Sports Authority of India Sports Training Centre, Bangalore, saw off some tense moments at the end to grab a 2-1 victory over STC, Kurnool, and enter the final of the SAI South Zone inter-hostel football tournament at the Bangalore Football stadium here on Tuesday.
After a goalless first session, Bangalore surged ahead with two early second half goals from Alex Praveen and Akram N B and later resisted a stiff challenge from Kurnool, who had narrowed the lead through D Sekar.
Despite heavy showers that had lashed the field just minutes before kick-off, the 35-minute first half was marked by intense action in the midfield as both sides vied for dominance, though both goalkeepers were hardly tested.
The Bangaloreans then took the lead in the 37th minute when Alex headed in a Ricky Joy pass from the left flank. Kurnool’s make-shift custodian A Sai Kartheek was slow to react as the ball rolled over the goal line.
Inspired by the lead, Bangalore struck again three minutes later with Akram firing in a powerful right-footer past a helpless Sai.
Just when it seemed that the pep talk by coach Aslam Khan during the break had done the trick for Bangalore, Kurnool unsettled the rival defence with frequent raids.
The Andhra side built their attacks and later, skipper A Srinivasa Rao, after being at the receiving end of a rough tackle, smartly directed a free kick from the far right into the box. That cross enabled Sekar to complete the formalities with a neat header in the 62nd minute.
Attacks and counter-attacks came aplenty in the dying minutes and Kurnool were a notch ahead of the hosts but they failed to slot in the equaliser.
Earlier, STC, Calicut, edged out  STC, Kollam, 1-0 as defender Ramshid K P scored off a corner kick with a deflection header in the 63rd minute.