Goals from Andhika Wijaya, Mohammed Rashid, Elias Dolah and Eber Bessa earned Teco’s side a four-goal lead before Jayvee Kallukaran and Griffin McDaniels gave the visitors hope of a revival until Jefferson snuffed out that possibility four minutes from time.
Bali United now have seven points from five games with their final clash against second placed Terengganu, who they trail by two points, on December 13 remaining. The group winners are sure to progress while the runners-up could also take a spot in the next round.
The home side were in control throughout against a Laguna side that went into the game having already been eliminated, and Bali United set about asserting their dominance.
Moments after heading wide with Bali United’s first effort on goal, Ilija Spasojevic had another sight of goal in the 14th minute, turning on the edge of the area to fire off a shot that forced Hayeson Pepito into action as he dived to his right.
A minute later Pepito denied Irfan Jaya while the Laguna goalkeeper gathered Jajang Mulyana’s downward header at the second attempt soon after as the hosts pushed for a way through.
In the 23rd minute the breakthrough came, Andhika slotting his shot into the bottom corner across Pepito after Eber Bessa’s neat layoff played the overlapping full back into space.
Ten minutes later the home side doubled their lead with Rashid hitting an unstoppable strike from the edge of the penalty area after Pepito had parried Irfan’s initial attempt into the Palestinian midfielder’s path.
Irfan had the defence on the backfoot again in first half injury time as he powered towards goal but this time his low shot was comfortably collected by Pepito.
Six minutes into the second half Dolah scored the third from close range when Pepito was unable to hold on to Ardi Idris’ header while Eber Bessa claimed the fourth in the 65th minute when he curled his right foot shot into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Kallukaran struck from wide on the left with a shot that arced over Adilson Maringa in the 69th minute to pull one back for Laguna and he turned provider eight minutes later to set up McDaniels’ header.
But Jefferson raced through on goal as Laguna pushed forward in the 86th minute to put the result beyond doubt.
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