East Bengal beat FC Goa 1-0 to reach Super Cup final

Kolkata giants East Bengal beat FC Goa 1-0 on Monday to reach the final of the Super Cup in Bhubaneswar.

File photo of Dudu Omagbemi who scored the only goal of the match.

Kolkata giants East Bengal beat FC Goa 1-0 at Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium on Monday to reach the final of the Super Cup.

32-year-old Nigerian striker Dudu Omagbemi scored the winner in the 78th minute of the game to help the I-league side prevail over their Indian Super League rivals. Katsumi Yusa provided the assist for Dudu's goal. 

East Bengal will now play either arch-rivals Mohun Bagan or another ISL side Bengaluru FC in the final on April 20. The second semifinal between these two teams will be played on Tuesday. 

"We are not the favourites in this match. All the favourites have bowed out so far. So I don't want to be labelled as the favourite," Bengaluru FC coach Alberto Roca said at the pre-match press conference on Monday.

"Mohun Bagan are a more difficult team than what we have faced so far in this tournament. "They did well in both the matches and are one of the most historical teams in Indian Football with a lot of history on their side," he added.

Mohun Bagan coach Sankarlal Chakraborty, meanwhile, said: "The quality which Bengaluru FC displayed against us in the Hero Federation Cup final last year was splendid. Coach Roca changed the formation in the match thrice. I will never forget their one-sided dominance all throughout my life. Do not forget that Mohun Bagan were perhaps the best side last season.

"But we are prepared for them. In Indian football, BFC are one of the teams who have better infrastructure and are one of the best-prepared teams. BFC are very dangerous in their transitions. I hear people talking about their trio of Sunil Chhetri, Miku and Udanta Singh up front. Yes, they are deadly. But at the same time, you need to be wary of the support from behind."