NorthEast United FC registered what is only their sixth win of the Indian Super League (ISL) campaign against Odisha FC on April 13, Saturday. The Highlanders scored three goals in the first half at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium to give their fans some joy after another grueling season for the club.
Odisha FC went into the game on the lookout for the third spot. A win today would have gotten them level with points with FC Goa and a higher goal difference. NorthEast, on the other hand, were out of the top six race for the playoffs but had to save face in front of their home fans for one last time this season.
It was the Kalinga Warriors who started the game on the front foot. In the second minute, a dangerous cross from Vignesh Dakshinamurthy was well-blocked by Hamza Regragui. An Ahmed Jahouh corner clipped the crossbar in the eighth minute of the game.
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However, against the run of play in the twelfth minute, Parthib Gogoi fired the Highlanders into the lead. Jithin MS lashed onto a long ball and ran circles around Mourtada Fall before crossing it to Gogoi who finished off the chance with his weaker left foot. It was the 21-year-old's fifth ISL goal of the season.
Nestor Albiach soon scored just three minutes later and in sensational fashion. The Spaniard made a darting run down the right wing after finding a lofted pass from Jithin MS. He tried to set up Gogoi but after the ball deflected back to him, the 31-year-old dribbled past Thoiba Singh and then the goalkeeper Lalthuammawia Ralte before passing the ball into an empty net.
In the 23rd minute, Pranjal Bhumij was hacked down in the box by Carlos Delgado. Referee Harish Kundu pointed to the spot and Roy Krishna's subsequent penalty was saved by Mirshad who guessed the right way.
The miseries continued for Odisha FC deep into injury time as Parthib Gogoi set up Konsam Phalguni Singh who blasted the ball into the top corner from close range. The goal meant that NEUFC carried a solid 3-0 lead into the second half.
Odisha FC fail to turn the tide in the second half
Odisha found one of their rare chances in the 63rd minute with Aniket Jadhav whose shot whistled wide from the edge of the box. Cy Goddard tried his luck from a freekick in the 74th minute but it only struck the side netting.
On the other side of the pitch, Buanthanglun Samte picked out Manvir Singh with a beautiful cross in the 83rd minute but the striker's header sailed over. Aniket Jadhav was a lively presence for the Kalinga Warriors around the box and he stole the ball from Mohammed Bemammer and almost rounded off Mirshad Michu in goal.
However, the goal was not to come as a battle-weary Odisha FC succumbed to a 3-0 loss to the Highlanders. Sergio Lobera will need his players to recover quickly ahead of the playoffs which can prove to be a harsher affair.
For Juan Pedro Benali's side, it's time to return to the drawing board after another season without tasting the playoffs. However, the performance from their last game and the maturity shown by the team's youngsters will give them a lot of options to ponder upon before their team-building process kicks off again.
