Odisha FC vs FC Goa: Who won the ISL 2023-24 clash? 

The top-of-the-table clash between Odisha FC and FC Goa ended in a stalemate, with each side scoring once at the Kalinga Stadium. Roy Krishna opened the scoring for Odisha in the fourth minute, but the Gaurs equalized through Jay Gupta’s stunning goal in the 37th minute.

The showdown between the two most in-form teams in the Indian Super League (ISL) was certainly highly anticipated. Odisha FC aimed to distance themselves from second-placed FC Goa, while the Gaurs looked to overcome Odisha on their home turf and reclaim the top spot.

However, just as the teams began to settle into this high-stakes encounter, the Kalinga Warriors landed the first blow inside five minutes.

Isak Ralte found himself isolated and managed to beat Seriton Fernandes before delivering a cross that was partially cleared by Jay Gupta. The ball then fell kindly to Amey Ranawade, whose low-driven cross into the penalty box was tapped into the net by Krishna.

The Juggernauts continued to trouble the visitors, whether in a settled possession phase or with their high press. They had an opportunity to double their lead when Isak won the ball in a dangerous area and threaded a pass to Krishna. The forward seemed to be brought down by Odei Onaindia inside the box, but the referee waved play on.

After a quick start, the Gaurs began to assert themselves in the game, with Carlos Martinez coming close to scoring on a couple of occasions. Their pressure eventually paid off towards the end of the half. Narender Gahlot’s clearance fell straight to Jay Gupta, who unleashed a thunderous shot from 30 yards out which crashed into the top corner of the net.

At the half-time whistle, the clash between the top two teams had all the elements of an intense encounter. Odisha FC started strongly, but FC Goa grew stronger as the game progressed.

Ultimately, the scores were level, despite the Gaurs having eight shots on goal compared to Odisha’s one.

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Odisha FC and FC Goa settle for a draw following a cagey second half

At the beginning of the second half, Manolo Marquez made a substitution, replacing Mohammad Yasir with Boris Singh, as FC Goa faced difficulties attacking down the right side and were consistently pressured in that area.

With chances limited for both sides in the opening quarter of the half, Lobera responded by making three substitutions, introducing Mourtada Fall, Lenny Rodrigues, and Aniket Jadhav for Gahlot, Rebello, and Mauricio, respectively.

The first clear-cut chance of the second half materialized in the 70th minute when the Gaurs managed to craft an opening after struggling to maintain possession. Brandon Fernandes dropped deeper and delivered a lofted pass that found Noah Sadaoui’s run. However, his attempt with his weaker foot narrowly missed the target, much to the relief of the Juggernauts.

Almost immediately afterward, Isak Ralte came close to scoring, nearly replicating Jay Gupta’s earlier strike. His shot swerved and dipped, beating Arshdeep Singh in goal, but it struck the outside of the post and deflected out of danger.

Despite some late pressure from the Gaurs, including Fernandes coming close to scoring in stoppage time, the game ultimately ended in a 1-1 draw.

In the second half, Odisha FC were the better side, as they attempted nine shots compared to Goa’s three. This result allowed the Juggernauts to maintain their three-point lead over Goa in the standings, but Manolo Marquez’s men have three games in hand over their opponents.