ISL 2022-23: Odisha FC 2-1 Kerala Blasters FC | Pedro Martin winner seals the deal for the Juggernauts

Odisha FC hosted Kerala Blasters FC for the final game of match week 3 of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 season. The two sides squared off at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

After two halves of end-to-end action, it was the home team who ended their day on a happier note. The stakes were pretty high for this encounter, considering both sides in this contest lost their previous matches against Mumbai City FC and ATK Mohun Bagan respectively.

In the build-up, it seemed that the Kalinga Warriors were more desperate for a win as opposed to the Yellow Tuskers, who were looking to erase their humiliation from the ATK Mohun Bagan match.

The scenario was pretty similar even after the ball was set rolling for the first half. Odisha FC were well set up to counter every possible move from their opponents.

The Yellow Tuskers struggled to find their usual rhythm and lacked the ability to progress their attacks. Ruivah Hormipam, who is usually a more confident character at the heart of the Kerala Blasters FC defense, looked clueless on multiple occasions. However, Ivan Kalyuzhnyi, and Adrian Luna helped the side while attacking and defending.

Luna was responsible for the first goal of the match. The Uruguayan midfielder sent in a cross towards the far post after spotting Marko Leskovic's run. Harmanjot Khabra used the situation to his advantage and dived in to send the ball past Amrinder Singh in goal. Despite their struggles, the goal seemed to bring life to the players who looked clueless so far.

However, it didn't take Odisha FC too long to respond. Jerry Mawihmingthanga's crosses were turning into a real headache for the Yellow Tuskers. Diego Mauricio almost converted one such chance on the brink of half-time.

However, it was Jerry who managed to get on the scoresheet. A failed clearance fell to Saul Crespo, who unleashed a powerful one towards goal. Prabhsukhan Gill blocked the initial attempt but Jerry managed to tap in the rebound.

Since the equalizer, it was all about Odisha FC, who looked menacing with each attack. Jerry's proactiveness kept Jessel Carneiro pinned on the left side for most of the second half.

The goal-scorer almost added a second mid-way through the second half. He dived to meet a cross from the left flank. But Jerry's attempt was inches off target.

Kerala Blasters FC were struggling in the second half as they failed to be imaginative and create a chance in the final third. However, the home team took advantage of this and made a breakthrough.

Amrinder Singh's clearance fell to Pedro Martin, who came on as a substitute. The Spaniard reacted well, getting ahead of the two central defenders and burying it past Gill.

Kerala Blasters FC looked out of options against Odisha FC

The loss against Odisha FC exposed some of the problems for Kerala Blasters FC. The side's over-reliance on a few players to help them get through difficult moments did not pay off.

Ivan Kalyuzhnyi and Adrian Luna were nullified in the second-half and that disallowed Kerala Blasters FC from playing their natural game. The double-pivot failed to receive support and was pressed out of possession, causing the team to fall back on multiple situations.