They will now be competing against the Mohun Bagan Super Giant across two legs in the last-four clash for a place in the ISL final. In a gripping encounter spanning across 120 minutes, the Juggernauts prevailed at their home turf despite trailing first in the game. Lithuanian striker Fedor Cernych netted in the 67th minute, before Diego Mauricio and Isak Vanlalruatfela scored once each in the 87th and 97th minutes respectively to drag Odisha FC back into the game and storm them into the semi-finals.

Kerala Blasters FC had come across plenty of scoring opportunities before they finally broke the deadlock. Though they secured the first lead in the game, it is inarguable that the Yellow Army squandered several chances in front of the goal in the build-up to Cernych’s strike.

As the game progressed, Odisha FC began pushing forward to find breakthroughs themselves, leaving spaces open in their backline for the Kochi-based team to exploit upon. They did exactly that, embarking on a fast strike with the help of Mohammed Aimen, who collected the ball a few yards outside of the box and delivered it for an onrushing Cernych. The striker shot the ball into the back of the net, getting the visitors a foot ahead in the match.

Odisha FC replied with a couple of goals, and incidentally both of them were starkly incidental in nature. Roy Krishna assisted both of them, squaring up passes from the right side of the box. With long balls coming from near the midline, Krishna picked them up and laid it for Mauricio and Isak who tapped them in similarly. In the 87th minute, Krishna got behind the Kerala Blasters FC defensive line and laid out a pass for Mauricio that he scored to equalise the game. Ten minutes later, Isak showed similar accuracy from the very same position in close range to score and help Odisha FC progress further in the tournament.

Key Performer of the Match

Roy Krishna (Odisha FC)

Roy Krishna capped off the game with two assists to his name across 120 minutes. He completed 21 out of his 28 attempted passes, made three crosses and tackles each and created five goal-scoring opportunities.

What’s next for both teams?

Odisha FC will play the Mohun Bagan Super Giant on April 23 and April 28 across their two semi-final legs. Kerala Blasters FC’s tournament has come to an end with this match.

Brief Scores

Odisha FC 2 (Diego Mauricio 87’, Isak Vanlalruatfela 98’) – 1 Kerala Blasters FC (Fedor Cernych 67’)

Stat Pack

Courtesy :- ISL Media

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The post Odisha FC wins their first-ever playoff match to qualify for semi-final with comeback victory against Kerala Blasters FC appeared first on Football Counter.

In group X, Deca played hosts to Mumbai Strikers on Monday afternoon at Poinsur Football ground in the opening match of the playoffs-round in this season’s Mumbai District Football Association (MDFA) Super Division.

The first-45 minutes of action between the two sides concluded in stalemate (0-0). Both defences held resolute and soaked the pressure exerted on to it throughout the half. But, the lack of a creative midfield or attacking outlet, or movement in the final-third area of the pitch from either side denied the attacking team from capitalizing on any half-chance presented.

A poor structure in the midfield-zone from the Deca as-well-as Mumbai Strikers meant neither side could take hold of the proceedings in a tight and nervy match-up, failing to create nil major goal-scoring opportunities.

While, hopelessly hitting or clearing long-balls towards surging strikers down the other end of the field remained a common site throughout the first-half. Although, Mumbai Strikers remained poised to score an opener sooner than their counterparts, Deca; recording a hatful of shots on goal, but straight towards Burzeen Cobla in-goal for Deca in the final 10 minutes of the first-half.

The opening chance of the second-half fell to Mumbai Strikers’ Ravish D’Souza, who having controlled the pass neatly, flashed his shot off-target; missing-out on converting from the best chance Mumbai Strikers had throughout the 90 minutes.

Set-pieces remained a common threat from both sides in the second-half. But, a repetition of mistakes from the first-half kept the scoreline at 0-0 with the final-15 minutes of the match remaining to unfold.

In the 82nd minute, Deca’s no.13 Joywin Nunes missed-out to convert from a similar range, where Ravish D’Souza missed on the opposite-end earlier in the second-half. The whole 90 minutes of football was a lackluster in terms of finding appropriate passes in the attacking areas of the field.

But, when Deca’s Mahesh Poojari picked the ball up on the left-flank near the opposition’s 18-yard-box, coming inside, the no.16 lashed a shot in the bottom left-corner past the trailing Mumbai Warriors goalkeeper to give his side and the match a much needed goal in the 89th minute.

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Along with the Reserve Bank of India – only against whom – Chheda Nagar Soccer Prodigious lost in the group qualified through to the play-offs. Goals from Aditya Raghavan in the 6^th minute and a 30^th minute goal from Shavez Surve meant Chheda Nagar Soccer Prodigious took a decisive 2-0 lead through into the 2^nd-half of the match. After much tussle, Chheda Nagar Soccer Prodigious’ no.13 Arijit Deb, who played his final game for the club wrapped up the victory in the 4^th minute of second-half of added time to complete a resounding 3-0 win over PIFA Colaba under-19.

The first-45 minutes football started off on a seemingly positive note for both sides, but Chheda Nagar came closer to taking an early lead and did so in the 6^th minute through Aditya Raghavan, who calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net from inside the 18 yard box. The remaining half was the exact portrayal of the second-half as PIFA Colaba under-19 committed men forward in search of an equalizer as they let themselves open to get exploited on the break. And, where Chheda Nagar Soccer Prodigious were comfortable defending deep, PIFA Colaba under-19 struggled to deal with the attacking pressure on the break and paid the price for it, when under a similar situation their defence fell apart to slip in another goal in through Shavez Surve in the 30^th minute. The half came to a closure with PIFA Colaba under-19 trying to work their way through, but failed to create and convert any real chance.

The second-half of the game started brightly for Chheda Nagar Soccer Prodigious, who carried on from where they concluded the first-half, when Shavez Surve missed out on a glorious headed chance from a corner on the near-post to extend his side’s lead to three. And after a hat-full of attacks from which Chheda Nagar Soccer Prodigious marginally failed to convert and some wayward decisions from PIFA Colaba under-19 in the final third which held their coach on the touchline shouting instructions spontaneously, it was Chheda Nagar Soccer Prodigious who came closer and closer to scoring the first goal in the second half of the game; in the 14th minute through no. 13 Arijit Deb’s fine effort on goal which was tipped over by the PIFA Colaba under-19 goalkeeper at the very last moment. As the half reached its midway point, PIFA under-19 urged its players to move forward in search on an opener to get something out of the game as they were in a position from where they would only lose by more. The chance came for PIFA under-19 in the 74^th minute, but it proved to be too little too late as they failed to convert from a glorious one-on-one chance. 2 minutes later Chheda Nagar Soccer Prodigious came close to scoring their third goal twice inside seconds when, first, Shavez Surve dragged his shot wide of the right hand post, second, when Shavez Surve again missed a chance to earn himself a potential hat-trick.

Arijit Deb who played his last game for the club stretched off in the final minute of normal time after sustaining a cramp, but went back on the field for the closing the minutes and got himself a farewell goal in the last minute of the game; wrapping up maximum points and a safe passage through to the play-offs.

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