Odisha FC routed fellow ISL outfit NorthEast United FC 6-0 in Match 3 of the 2022 Durand Cup at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium on Wednesday, August 17.
Jerry Mawihmingthanga set the ball rolling with a curled finish in the 15th minute to put the Juggernauts ahead. Nandhakumar Sekar then struck 11 minutes later from goalkeeper Lalthuammawia Ralte's ball forward to make it 2-0.
Mawihmingthanga added a third before half-time, firing the ball into an open net from Sekar's cross.
Odisha FC continued to press forward after the break but without much urgency. While NorthEast United kept them out for most of the second half, the Highlanders lost the plot once again in the final 10 minutes.
Substitutes Isak Ralte, Diego Mauricio and Thoiba Singh Moirangthem all found the back of the net to seal what proved to be an easy victory. Here are the player ratings for both teams from the 2022 Durand Cup clash:
NorthEast United
Nikhil Deka - 6/10
Deka could've done better with the first goal of the game but was largely helpless for the others.
Bishnu Rabha - 5.5/10
Rabha suffered in the first half against Nandhakumar Sekar, most notably letting the Odisha FC forward cut inside too easily to score the second goal. He came up with a couple of crucial interventions after the break but the die had been cast by then.
Sampow Rongmei - 6/10
Rongmei came up with some crucial clearances but was dragged out of position for Odisha FC's third goal.
Bimol Singh - 4.5/10
Bimol Singh made one good block to stop Mawihmingthanga but endured a rough night on the whole for NorthEast United. He was particularly helpless against Isak Ralte, who left him on the floor in the build-up to the Juggernauts' final goal. The defender was also pulled hopelessly out of position for the third goal.
Chiranjeet Gogoi - 5/10
Gogoi, like Rabha, struggled to deal with Odisha FC's overload on his flank in the first half and was beaten too easily by Mawihmingthanga at times.
Denis Bodo - 4.5/10
Bodo couldn't deal with Odisha FC's overload in midfield in the first half and his passing was below par for most of the game. He also failed to stop Isak Ralte from sneaking in front of him to score the Juggernauts' fifth goal.
Basanta Boro - 5.5/10
Boro couldn't help NorthEast United in transition and ultimately suffered against the opposition's high press.
Muktasana Sharma - 5.5/10
Sharma made a couple of crucial clearances but never got the time or space to show his qualities going forward for NorthEast United.
Madhujya Bora - 5/10
Bora was anonymous barring one half-decent cross in the first half.
Dipu Mirdha - 6/10
Mirdha ran himself into the ground but was the only NorthEast United player sticking to the team's pressing plan. He had very few options when he got the ball and couldn't inspire a side overwhelmed by their opponents.
Alfred Lalruotsang - 6.5/10
Lalruotsang was the only silver lining in a dark cloud for the Highlanders. He looked to take players on when possible and even forced a couple of decent blocks from Odisha FC's defenders.
Substitutes
Jirjar Terang - 5.5/10
Terang held his own early in the second half as Odisha FC slowed down but was part of another defensive breakdown towards the end of the match.
Jwangbla Brahma - 6/10
Brahma hardly saw the ball and was a passenger for most of the second half.
Joni Rabha - 6/10
Rabha added some bite to the NorthEast United defense but couldn't do much to stop the final three goals.
Sandeep Thapa - 6/10
Thapa also didn't see much of the ball although he did come up with a couple of clearances late on.
Binan Singh - N/A
He spent very little time on the pitch to have any real impact.
Odisha FC
Lalthuammawia Ralte - 7/10
Ralte had close to nothing to do in what was a very straightforward evening. He got the assist for Sekar's goal with a punt into the opposition's third.
Sahil Panwar - 6.5/10
Panwar was solid defensively and whipped in multiple dangerous crosses to test the NorthEast United defense.
Narender Gehlot - 6.5/10
Gehlot had very little to do against an attack that couldn't trouble him physically or with pace.
Carlos Delgado - 7/10
Delgado also enjoyed a routine evening and looked very good while passing out from the back.
Shubham Sarangi - 6.5/10
Sarangi offered plenty of support to Mawihmingthanga in the final third and also shut down his flank defensively.
Raynier Fernandes - 7.5/10
Fernandes put in an excellent display and constantly got his team forward with some neat passing, especially in the attacking third. Some of his cross-field switches were excellent as well.
Saul Crespo - 7.5/10
Crespo enjoyed a phenomenal debut for his new side. While he didn't get a goal or assist, the Spaniard was absolutely vital to his side's ball retention and progression.
Issac Vanmalsawma - 8/10
Vanmalsawma was one of several Odisha FC players to impress against NorthEast United. The midfielder created multiple chances for his teammates, was tidy in possession and exuded quality on the ball.
Nandhakumar Sekar - 9/10
Sekar enjoyed a night to remember against NorthEast United. The winger scored his side's second goal with a right-footed pearler from outside the box. He then set up Mawihmingthanga for an easy finish at the far post before assisting Isak Ralte with a corner.
Pedro Martin - 8/10
He may not have scored a goal but Martin put in a fantastic performance for Odisha FC in this match. The Spaniard forced a couple of good saves from Deka before setting up Mawihmingthanga for the first goal.
He was also heavily involved in his side's third goal in addition to pulling off a few flicks and tricks for the highlight reel.
Jerry Mawihmingthanga - 8/10
Mawihmingthanga scored a brace against NorthEast United to effectively seal the game by half-time. He first curled one past a flailing Deka before finishing off a team move by guiding the ball into an empty net later in the half.
The winger will, however, be disappointed that he didn't score a hat-trick, missing a couple of big chances.
Substitutes
Thoiba Singh Moirangthem - 7.5/10
Moirangthem had a patchy start after being brought on in the second half. However, he won the foul which resulted in Diego Mauricio's goal from a free-kick before scoring Odisha FC's final goal with a tap-in at the far post.
Nikhil Prabhu - 6/10
Prabhu came up with a crucial block in the dying embers of the game to preserve his side's clean sheet.
Diego Mauricio - 7/10
Mauricio wasted a couple of opportunities to score and find an open teammate. However, he scored with a powerful free-kick from the edge of the area.
Isak Ralte - 7.5/10
Ralte proved to be a handful for a tiring NorthEast United defense. He first escaped his marker to score from Sekar's inswinging corner before setting up Moirangthem with a fantastic solo run down the right.
Paul Ramfangzauva - 6/10
Ramfangzauva got himself stuck in and fired a couple of attempts from distance which were off target.