ATK Mohun Bagan stayed in contention for a knockout berth in the 131st Indian Oil Durand Cup, with a regulation 2-0 win over Indian Navy in a Group B fixture at the Kishore Bharati Stadium on Wednesday.
Lenny Rodriguez opened the scoring for the green and maroon brigade, while Kiyan Nassiri got the second. ATK Mohun Bagan thus wrapped up their group engagements with seven points and now await the result of the Rajasthan United (on four points) and Indian Navy game on Monday to find out whether they can join Mumbai City in the knockouts.
ATK Mohun Bagan’s Spanish coach Juan Ferrando made eight changes from the one that started against Emami East Bengal on Sunday. Still it was ATK Mohun Bagan who started on the front foot. The first goal came in the 18th minute.
Deepak Tangri found Manvir Singh on the right with a long ball. Singh squared to Fardeen Ali Mollah, lurking on the edge of the box.
Mollah took out two defenders while feigning his receive with a wonderful turn and played on Lenny Rodriguez, who created space on his left and beat goalkeeper Velutha Vishnu with a grounded left-footer to the near corner.
Rodriguez almost got his second four minutes later with a wonderful curler from distance but this time Vishnu did well to fend it off. Fardeen then got his second assist after Kiyan played a quick 1-2 with him to burst through the Navy defence and finish in style.
Navy had a chance to pull one back after Pritam Kotal fluffed his lines and Shreyas VG pounced on it but his effort went over. In Guwahati, Kerala Blasters entered the last-eight stage defeating Army Green 2-0 in a Group D match.