<p class="title">It was billed a classic and Bengaluru FC swivelled past the odds more than just once to make sure it stayed just that – a classic. Down a goal and then a man with an entire half left to play for in unforgiving weather conditions, Albert Roca’s boys decided to thrash the script and hurriedly pen a brand new one when they came back from the dead to beat old rivals Mohun Bagan 4-2 here and book a place in the final of the Super Cup against East Bengal on Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The inspiring win was underlined by a Miku hat-trick (63’, 65’ and 89’) and another sublime Sunil Chhetri finish (90+1’).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Kalinga Stadium was touching 40 degrees on a Tuesday afternoon but Bengaluru’s woes soon doubled without the ball being kicked after Juanan Gonzalez opted out of the warm-ups complaining of uneasiness he had been carrying from a rib injury. Harmanjot Khabra replaced the Spaniard as Subhasish Bose moved from left-back to partner Johnson in the middle, with Nishu moving to the left.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The rejigged defence looked like seeing the half through without conceding when Bagan broke the deadlock in 42nd minute through Dipanda Dicka. Khabra was bundled over in the build-up and Akram Moghrabi did well to slide the ball to the Cameroonian striker who tapped home with ease.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Roca switched to a three-man back line for the second half with the introduction of Toni Dovale in place of Khabra. Erik Paartalu moved back to join Subhasish and Johnson at the back.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, five minutes after the restart, the Blues’ quest for a fightback suffered a massive blow as Nishu was given his marching orders. Pushing up in search of a leveller, a clearance from a Bengaluru corner caught Nishu off-balance, allowing Nikhil to run away with possession. Nishu, in his attempt to recover, fouled the winger and was sent in for an early shower.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Miku turned the tie in Bengaluru’s favour, almost singlehandedly as he picked up a cut back from Udanta Singh. Taking a touch past his marker, the Venezuelan hammered home a low grounder past two defenders and Shilton Paul in the Bagan goal to level things.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It wasn’t long before the Blues seized the advantage, as the Bengaluru No 7 earned a freekick just outside the rival area. Catching the Bagan defenders off guard, Toni played Miku through with a quick restart, and the latter made no mistake to place it past Shilton.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Miku then completed his hat-trick in the 88th minute from the spot after Udanta was brought down in the box by substitute Rana Gharami.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As if that wasn’t enough, the Blues continued to push forward and Chhetri scored what was arguably the goal of the tournament so far. Latching on to a long diagonal from BFC ‘keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu down on the left flank, the skipper took a touch past his marker and curled it in and beyond the reach of Shilton to make it 4-1.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dipanda would then catch the Bengaluru defence off guard as he reduced the deficit but it would make little difference.</p>
<p class="title">It was billed a classic and Bengaluru FC swivelled past the odds more than just once to make sure it stayed just that – a classic. Down a goal and then a man with an entire half left to play for in unforgiving weather conditions, Albert Roca’s boys decided to thrash the script and hurriedly pen a brand new one when they came back from the dead to beat old rivals Mohun Bagan 4-2 here and book a place in the final of the Super Cup against East Bengal on Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The inspiring win was underlined by a Miku hat-trick (63’, 65’ and 89’) and another sublime Sunil Chhetri finish (90+1’).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Kalinga Stadium was touching 40 degrees on a Tuesday afternoon but Bengaluru’s woes soon doubled without the ball being kicked after Juanan Gonzalez opted out of the warm-ups complaining of uneasiness he had been carrying from a rib injury. Harmanjot Khabra replaced the Spaniard as Subhasish Bose moved from left-back to partner Johnson in the middle, with Nishu moving to the left.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The rejigged defence looked like seeing the half through without conceding when Bagan broke the deadlock in 42nd minute through Dipanda Dicka. Khabra was bundled over in the build-up and Akram Moghrabi did well to slide the ball to the Cameroonian striker who tapped home with ease.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Roca switched to a three-man back line for the second half with the introduction of Toni Dovale in place of Khabra. Erik Paartalu moved back to join Subhasish and Johnson at the back.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, five minutes after the restart, the Blues’ quest for a fightback suffered a massive blow as Nishu was given his marching orders. Pushing up in search of a leveller, a clearance from a Bengaluru corner caught Nishu off-balance, allowing Nikhil to run away with possession. Nishu, in his attempt to recover, fouled the winger and was sent in for an early shower.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Miku turned the tie in Bengaluru’s favour, almost singlehandedly as he picked up a cut back from Udanta Singh. Taking a touch past his marker, the Venezuelan hammered home a low grounder past two defenders and Shilton Paul in the Bagan goal to level things.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It wasn’t long before the Blues seized the advantage, as the Bengaluru No 7 earned a freekick just outside the rival area. Catching the Bagan defenders off guard, Toni played Miku through with a quick restart, and the latter made no mistake to place it past Shilton.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Miku then completed his hat-trick in the 88th minute from the spot after Udanta was brought down in the box by substitute Rana Gharami.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As if that wasn’t enough, the Blues continued to push forward and Chhetri scored what was arguably the goal of the tournament so far. Latching on to a long diagonal from BFC ‘keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu down on the left flank, the skipper took a touch past his marker and curled it in and beyond the reach of Shilton to make it 4-1.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dipanda would then catch the Bengaluru defence off guard as he reduced the deficit but it would make little difference.</p>