Bengaluru FC are Federation Cup champions

Bengaluru FC	2
Chhetri pen-10', Robin 65''
Dempo SC	1
Ozbey pen-45+2''

Bengaluru FC showed just why they are the best team in the country by beating Dempo 2-1 in the final to be crowned kings of the Federation Cup at the Nehru Stadium, in Fatorda, on Sunday. Robin Singh came off the bench and rose to glance home Beikhokhei Beingaichho�s peach of a cross in the 65th minute after Tolgay Ozbey�s penalty at the stroke of half time cancelled one by Sunil Chhetri.

Ashley Westwood�s champions came into the final having bossed the tournament and found a perfect match for an opponent in Dempo who, like Bengaluru, made the finals without having dropped a game.

Bengaluru FC shot into a 10th minute lead when Haroon Amiri brought down Eugeneson Lyngdoh in the box. Chhetri stepped up and sent Laxmikant Kattimani the wrong way to score his third penalty and sixth goal of the Cup. But just while the Blues looked like calling the shots on possession, Westwood was forced to make a substitution he wished he didn�t have to. Joshua Walker, who has been brilliant through the fortnight, seemed to have pulled his hamstring and cut a disappointed figure as he made way for Robin.

Bengaluru didn�t let the early hiccup trouble their plans as they kept shape and possession without trouble. But just as the Blues seemed to have seen the half through, Dempo were awarded a penalty of their own when referee Pratap Singh deemed John Johnson to have tugged on to Amiri�s shirt while the hosts had taken a corner. Ozbey smashed home from the spot.

Dempo began the second half with problems of their own when scorer Ozbey had to limp off in the 51st minute.

Robin, as he has done so often through the Cup, turned super sub with a delightful header from an equally precious ball that Beingaichho floated after a string of BFC passes. But soon after the goal, Dempo were dealt a double blow when Rowilson Rodrigues was a shown a straight red for an alarming studs-up challenge on Thoi.

Up a man, Bengaluru were denied with off-the-line saves on two occasions by Francis Fernandes and Kattimani. Dempo began throwing all they had at the Blues but were either lackadaisical with their finishing or were being stuffed out by the Bengaluru defence. Curtis Osano even bagged the �hero of the match� award for his composed effort at the back. Bengaluru saw out the last few minutes without fuss and even came close to scoring on a couple of occasions while on the break