Odisha FC 0-1 Bengaluru FC: 3 Reasons why the defending champions won the game | ISL 2019-20

Bengaluru FC edged past Odisha FC 1-0 in a keenly contested encounter at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune. The win restored the defending champions to the top of the ISL table after they’d squandered a similar opportunity against Hyderabad FC, a few days prior.

The visitors looked confident from the outset and imposed their identity on the game quite early. The away side were willing to press the ball high up the pitch and that led to the hosts committing a few defensive errors.

Odisha, meanwhile, were content to press the ball in midfield, meaning that Dimas Delgado and Erik Paartalu enjoyed plenty of time and space in possession. Subsequently, Bengaluru began carving out a few chances, although they were unable to make the net bulge.

However, they surged ahead in the 37th minute courtesy a slightly scrappy goal. Nishu Kumar hoisted a ball towards the left flank where Paartalu headed the ball into Juanan’s path. The Spaniard kept his composure to stab the ball off the far post and over the line.

The hosts turned the screw massively after the restart but weren’t able to trouble the scorers, thereby consigning themselves to their 3rd defeat of the season.

Here is a look at the three reasons that enabled the defending champions to post a victory.

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#3 Gurpreet Singh Sandhu stars in goal

Gurpreet was immense in goal

A few days ago, Bengaluru FC contrived to let slip a one-goal lead against Hyderabad FC, despite dominating the match for large swathes. On that evening at the Gachibowli Athletic Stadium, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and his handling came under the scanner a tad, especially with some criticising the keeper for his ‘soft’ save that laid the ball on a plate for Robin Singh.

However, on Wednesday, the Indian custodian displayed exemplary reflexes on several occasions to thwart Odisha FC and help his side keep a clean sheet.

In the first half, Gurpreet was on hand to parry Nandhakumar’s shot from outside the box whereas he also looked composed with the ball at his feet.

After the break, the keeper took his game up a notch as he produced quite a few telling moments.

In the second period, a scramble ensued in the penalty box off a set-piece. Firstly, the ball took a wicked deflection off Juanan, meaning that Gurpreet had to pull off a sharp save. The parry fell to Diawandou Diagne, who rattled the post from close range before the rebound interested Nandhakumar. However, the Bengaluru keeper pounced on the loose ball and ensured that the winger didn’t get a clean shot at goal.

Thereafter, Gurpreet churned out a couple of brilliant saves against Daniel and Marcos Tebar.

Thus, through the course of the encounter, the keeper had put to bed the ghosts of Pune and had set the record straight, courtesy a stellar display.

#2 Odisha fail to make the most of their possession

Vinit (R) was one of the few bright sparks for Odisha FC

Odisha started the game promisingly and looked keen to prize open a stubborn-looking Bengaluru FC. Through the first half, the hosts got in behind the visitors’ rear-guard on a few occasions, although the end-product went missing.

Once the teams re-emerged from the tunnel though, Josep Gombau’s troops enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, meaning that they controlled the tempo of the match. Yet, despite their territorial advantage, they failed to carve open Bengaluru requisitely, meaning that they fired their 3rd blank in their last four games.

On countless occasions, they pinged the ball across the pitch but weren’t able to find adequate space to cause any damage. Jerry and Nandhakumar failed to get goal-side of their markers whereas Aridane Santana was also deprived of service in the final third.

And, whenever they got into encouraging positions, they conspired to throw them away, thereby handing the visitors a boost in their quest to keep things tight at the back.

Moreover, Odisha were guilty of spurning a crucial gilt-edged opportunity when Diagne somehow struck the post from 3 yards with the goal gaping.

Throughout the early exchanges of the ISL, Odisha have cast themselves as a side capable of sticking to their footballing identity and troubling oppositions with their free-flowing style of football.

Yet, akin to what happened with the Delhi Dynamos last term, they’ve misfired spectacularly in the offensive third. And, if they are unable to rectify that aspect soon, their season could spiral downwards.

After all, one needs to supplement style with substance, especially in a competition like the ISL.

#1 Carles Cuadrat’s tactical tweaks floor Odisha

Carles Cuadrat's tactical tweaks floored Odisha (Credits: Bengaluru FC)

Bengaluru FC began the encounter aggressively and asserted themselves almost instantly. They pressed the hosts high up the pitch whereas they were also willing to play through the lines and expose Odisha’s deficiencies in the defensive third. Consequently, they were rewarded with a goal in the 37th minute when Juanan scuffed his effort over the line.

After that though, Carles Cuadrat decided to alter his tactics and though that seemed a slight recipe for disaster at the start of the second period, it worked a charm towards the end, meaning that the Spaniard was vindicated in this tweaks.

Firstly, he instructed his players to back off and abandon the pressing philosophy deployed in the opening 45 minutes. In the process, Odisha were denied space in midfield, meaning that they had to search for defence-splitting passes from within their half.

The above also restricted the space Jerry and Nandhakumar enjoyed in the first half. The pair were forced to play with their back towards the goal for major parts after the break and were not allowed an opportunity to run at the defence.

The above also enabled the visitors to nullify the threat of Xisco Hernandez. The former Bengaluru FC midfielder is an exemplary passer of the ball but he lacks the explosion to jink past a couple of defenders. Thus, with minimal spaces available ahead, the Spaniard was forced to play backward or lateral passes, thereby ridding the hosts of any incision.

Additionally, Cuadrat’s ploy of switching Ashique Kuruniyan and Nishu posed an entirely new set of questions to the Odisha defence, considering the latter’s ability to cut inside.

Football is usually a game of terribly tiny margins and those facets usually come to the fore in an encounter as cagey as the one Pune witnessed on Wednesday. And, more often than not, the decisive tilting scale embodies a slight change in personnel or strategy.

Fortunately for Bengaluru though, Cuadrat delved deep into his tactical hat and unfurled a rather shrewd rabbit, when his side craved it most.