Santosh Trophy 2024-25: West Bengal edges out Odisha 3-1, qualifies for semifinals
Santosh Trophy 2024-25: West Bengal edges out Odisha 3-1, qualifies for semifinals
West Bengal edged out Odisha 3-1 to qualify for the semifinals of the 78th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2024-25 at the Deccan Arena on Thursday.
Odisha had a bright start to the game as Rakesh Oram gave it the lead in the 25th minute. Bengal found the equaliser at the stroke of half time through Narohari Shrestha and struck twice more via Robi Hansda (77’) and substitute Manotos Maji (90+2’) to enter the semifinals for the 52nd time.
Hansda’s ninth goal of the campaign saw him pull further away in the goalscoring charts.
Odisha became the second team to breach the Bengal defence in the Santosh Trophy this season, Oram scoring the first goal of the day in the 25th minute to give them a shock lead through a header off a corner by Bikash Kumar Sahoo.
It wasn’t just a shocker but also an eye-opener when Sanjoy Sen’s side had been controlling the game; even when the goal rang in, and to its credit, it rolled on in the same way after. Odisha’s luck finally gave out in the final minute of the first half when seasoned forward Shrestha drew Bengal level with a firm right-footer.
The leveller was expected to change the mood of the game, and yet Odisha would not go away, carving out half chances aplenty early in the second half.
West Bengal, for its part, was profligate with the ball, and especially in the final third. It took the best out of its main man Hansda to give it the lead. The forward added his ninth goal to a brilliant Santosh Trophy campaign in the 77th minute. It was a measured left-footed half volley from top of the box after Shrestha headed it down for him.
A third goal by Maji deep in injury time off a counter-attack sealed the win, and ensured that West Bengal’s quest for the thirty-third title rolls on.
Bengal 3 (Narohari Shreshtha 45+2’, Robi Hansda 77’, Manotos Maji 90+2’) beat Odisha 1 (Rakesh Oram 25’)
