Bhubaneswar: ATK rode on Balwant Singh’s (23rd, 33rd, 51st) brilliant hat-trick a the two-time ISL champions scripted a thrilling 4-3 victory over Delhi Dynamos to surge into the semifinals of the Super Cup here at the Kalinga Stadium, Friday. The Steve Coppell-coached side will face either Chennaiyin or NorthEast United in the last 4.
Manuel Lanzarote (27th) continued his fie form infront of the goal scoring the other for the Kolkata side, while Sajid Dhot (15th), Daniel Lalhlimpuia (35th) and Nandhakumar Sekar (72th) helped Delhi Dynamos stay in the contest until the end but the Lions struggled to enforce a late comeback.
Sajit drew the first blood for Delhi after Adria Carmona’s delivery from the free-kick was met by an unmarked 21-year-old at the far post who nodded home in. However, ATK came back with two good goals by the half-hour mark and take the lead.
Pronay Halder outmuscled Carmona and nicked the ball from his feet and passed it to Lanzarote whose fantastic first-time through-ball fed Balwant through on goal who made no mistake.
The creator then turned goalscorer with an excellent finish from a tight angle before Balwant added his second after the half-hour mark with a powerful finish into the net after latching onto Jayesh Rane’s ball up the field.
Delhi came back into the game soon Lallianzuala Chhangte dribbled forward and his cross from the left took a deflection off Johnson and fell perfectly for Daniel who found the net.
ATK doubled their lead six minutes from the restart through Balwant who completed his hat-trick, this time again Rane the feeder.
