Tomba Singh's fine display inspired National Football League runners-up Salgaocar to a superb rally as they overcame Mahindra United 2-1 to enter the final of the 116th Durand Cup football tournament in Delhi on Friday.
In a match that saw fortunes fluctuating at the Ambedkar stadium, Federation Cup champions Mahindra took an early lead when foreign recruit Felix Aboagye scored in the second minute. The Mumbai side held on to that goal and led 1-0 at halftime.
But Salgaocar came up with a spirited performance in the second session and scored through Felix Ibrebru (58th minute) and Dharamjit Singh (73rd) to advance to Monday's title clash.
The Goans will take on the winner of the Saturday's second semi-final between defending champions East Bengal and Air India.
Both teams battled on equal terms despite Salgaocar getting the equalizer, but two moments of madness by Mahindra defender Sanjay Parte which got him two yellow cards and an automatic expulsion following a red card from Bengal referee Subrata Sarkar, spelt doom for Mahindra.
Parte, who was first cautioned in the 28th minute of the first half for a clumsy challenge, continued in the same vein after changing ends which led to his exit at the hour mark.
With Tomba Singh, repeatedly going past him, Parte had to do something and when the Goan No.7 went up dangerously through the left, Parte committed the foul and paid the penalty.
It proved costly for Mahindra as it came a few minutes after Tomba Singh did the spade work for Salgaocar's equaliser.
The diminutive Tomba moved up and troubled the Mahindra defence, marshalled by Covan Lawrence, and found Ibrebru well-positioned inside the box. The African striker took a few seconds to get into his shooting stride but bulged the net with a powerful shot which gave Mahindra custodian Naseem Akhtar no chance.
Parte's blunder left a big hole in the Mahindra defence and the crafty Goans, coached by Savio Medeira, exploited it.
Mahindra's English coach David Booth immediately went in for some damage control and effected a double substitution.He pulled out medio Jules D Alberto and defender Tapan Ghosh and brought in Steven Dias and Syed Altafuddin.
But Tomba continued with his piercing runs down the flank. In the 71st minute he was really unlucky to hit the post with a full-blooded shot after making a circle with the ball inside the danger area. But unfazed by the miss, he continued to prowl till Salgaocar took the lead two minutes later.
He created the move going up through his favourite wing, with Felix and Dharamjit moving into the box through the centre. Tomba released the ball to his right and found Ibrebru inside the box. Even as the Mahindra players converged on the African, he found Dharamjit, on his right, whose shot went in with a defender managing only a faint touch.
Salgaocar failed the score another goal but dictated terms till the end which came after three minutes of injury time.