Much-needed win: Odisha brightened its chances of making it to the knock-out stage.
| Photo Credit: DEBASISH BHADURI
Odisha FC rode a fine essay of attacking football to turn the tables on home favourite Mohun Bagan Super Giant by a 5-2 scoreline in the Group D match of the AFC Cup at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Monday.
Mohun Bagan found the lead early through Hugo Boumous but conceded the initiative to Odisha, which fired three in a span of 11 minutes towards the end of the opening half. MBSG pulled one back midway in the second half just to see Odisha finding two more towards the end to complete its dominance.
The visitor, which had lost 0-4 at home against the same opponent in the first round, thus exacted a sweet revenge while brightening its chances of making it to the knock-out stage. Odisha has nine points from five matches and rose to the second spot to remain a point behind the group leader Bashundhara Kings of Bangladesh.
Missing four of its regulars owing to injury, Bagan went into a defensive shell after gaining the lead thereby allowing the space to Odisha to regroup. The Juggernauts found the equaliser in the 30thî ˆminute off Roy Krishna. The Fijian next assisted Diego Mauricio, who made it 2-1 in the 32nd. Japanese midfielder Cy Goddard doubled the lead in the 41st.
The host pulled one back through substitute Kiyan Nassiri in the 63rd minute but lost the plot yet again in the injury-time. Odisha scored another two off substitutes Aniket Jadhav (90+3) and Isaka Ralte (90+5) to round off the memorable win.
The result: Mohun Bagan 2 (Boumous 17, Nassiri 63) lost to Odisha FC 5 (Krishna 30, Mauricio 32, Goddard 41, Jadhav 90+3, Ralte 90+5).