Robson keeps Kings alive

Bashundhara Kings skipper Robson Robinho made the difference in their encounter against Indian side Gokulam FC in the AFC Cup as they won 2-1 on the last matchday of the group stage on Tuesday.

Robson took the onus upon himself as he scored a curler and assisted striker Nuha Marong ‘s header.

Gokulam’s Jamaican forward Jourdain Fletcher kept the contest alive, scoring in the 75th minute, but Kings held their own as they took control of the match.

At the iconic Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, Robson tried to curl it in off the left side in the fourth minute, but the on-target shot was blocked.

Gokulam’s best effort of the first half came in the fifth minute when MS Jithin found himself at the end of a quick-fire counter. He was through on goal but couldn’t score as he chipped it wide.

The deadlock was broken in the 36th minute, courtesy of some outrageous skill from Robson. With his trademark move, he came in from the left and wriggled past three defenders and curled it in the top corner.

Minutes later, he mimicked a similar attacking move but this time failed to find the target as it went over.

Despite having 14 attempted shots in the half, Kings finished the first half with a narrow 1-0 lead.

Nine minutes after the restart, Kings doubled their lead as striker Marong delivered through a towering header. Robson smartly wriggled past the defender on the left flank and lobbed a tempting cross into the box, and Marong made no mistake to bury a header from 10 yards.

Kings had the lion’s share of the possession and looked to be cruising, but a 75th-minute strike from Fletcher brought Gokulam back into the contest.

Kings goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Ziko in the 90th minute perhaps produced the match-saving performance in the last minute. From 40 yards out, Fletcher drilled a shot from a free-kick that swerved and was heading towards goal, but the Ziko managed to parry it over with his fingertips as he kept that one-goal advantage intact.

Kings will now hope that ATK Mohun Bagan lose to Maziya SR in the second match of the day to keep hopes of qualification into the inter-zonal semi-final alive.