Bengal power past Chhattisgarh in opener

Branco Cardozo scored a hat-trick while Budhiram Tudu scored one in Bengal’s win. Chattisgarh’s lone strike came from an own goal through Bengal skipper Anupam Sarkar.
Bengal, the 30-time champions in the national football championship, dominated the proceedings right from the start and had no problems against a lacklustre Chhattisgarh team. Branco brilliantly dribbled past Chhattisgarh defenders for a superb goal in the 10th minute, while the United Sikkim striker struck his second in the 23rd minute.

Getting the supply from right flank, Tudu did not make any mistake to give Bengal a 3-0 lead two minutes later in the 65th edition of the national football championship.

Branco completed his hat-trick in the 83rd minute to put the match to bed. Three minutes before regulation time, in a bid to clear the ball from the box, Bengal captain Sarkar netted into his own net to gift Chhattisgarh their only goal.