Odisha FC made historical past on Tuesday at the EMS Corporation Stadium in Kozhikode. With a 2-1 victory over Bengaluru FC, the Bhubaneswar-based facet have been topped champions of the Hero Super Cup, their first-ever silverware.
While Brazilian Diego MaurĂcio struck each targets for the winners in the first half, Sunil Chhetri scored from a penalty in the 84th minute to scale back the margin for Bengaluru FC.
Up in opposition to seasoned opponents in the form of Bengaluru, Odisha did all the injury in the first half with two targets from Diego MaurĂcio. Clifford Miranda additionally made historical past, changing into the first Indian coach to win the Hero Super Cup.
Bengaluru FC, taking part in their third remaining of the season, began off as the extra authoritative of the two sides in a rain-lashed kick-off. The Blues saved loads of possession in the opposition half, whereas Odisha, who had conceded two early targets in their final two video games, have been content material with sitting again, making a cautious begin to their first-ever remaining.
However, as the rain died down, so did Bengaluru’s command on the ball. Odisha started inflicting bother from set-pieces, with Carlos Delgado’s close-range volley from Sahil Panwar’s nook their first actual likelihood. Sandesh Jhingan was available to make a last-ditch block for Bengaluru.
The breakthrough got here in dramatic vogue for Odisha in the twenty third minute as Gurpreet Singh Sandhu made a hash of what ought to’ve been a routine assortment from a harmless-looking Diego MaurĂcio free-kick. The Brazilian’s shot was aimed straight at the Bengaluru custodian, who had his total physique behind the ball however let it slip out of his hand and trickle previous the goalline.
MaurĂcio would go shut once more just some minutes later, heading a Jerry Mawihmingthanga cross huge of the far submit. But there was no stopping Odisha’s talisman the subsequent time of asking as he made it 2-0 seven minutes earlier than half-time. It all began with a diagonal ball from Victor Rodriguez to pick Jerry on the proper, who headed it throughout the face of aim. Mauricio, racing previous his marker Sandesh Jhingan, tapped it in with Gurpreet wrong-footed.
With Bengaluru trying dishevelled and fully on the backfoot, Clifford Miranda’s males continued to go full throttle and will’ve nonetheless added to their lead earlier than the break. First, it was Nandha Kumar, who despatched a curling volley from the fringe of the field, which Gurpreet was equal to. Then it was Jerry once more inflicting bother down the flank, getting into the field from the proper earlier than thundering a powerful effort off the crossbar.
Bengaluru, arguably fortunate to be solely two targets down at half-time, made as many as 4 modifications for the second half. Simon Grayson introduced on Sivasakthi Narayanan, Pablo Perez, Prabir Das and Aleksandar Jovanovic in their bid to keep away from a second remaining loss in simply over a month. However, Odisha continued to be their dominating self after the restart too as Gurpreet was saved busy in the Blues’ aim.
Just 40 seconds into the second half, he had to dive down low to parry away Mauricio’s long-range effort. Five minutes later, he was at full stretch to push over a cheeky chipped try from Victor over the crossbar. Nandha, who had been a menace on the left wing, replicated his hazard on the proper as nicely. After being fed with a defence-splitting ball by Victor, Nandha despatched a robust low shot, which Prabir managed to deflect onto the side-netting.
It took 77 minutes for Bengaluru to take a look at Amrinder with their first try on track. And it wasn’t notably threatening as nicely. Pablo, out of choices close to the fringe of the field, went for a low shot via a forest of legs, which Amrinder pushed away with ease.
With simply quarter-hour to go, a ray of hope emerged for Bengaluru when Sivasakthi was introduced down in the field by Nandha. The ensuing penalty was lodged into the again of the internet by the ever-reliable Sunil Chhetri with a one-step run-up. The part of travelling Bengaluru followers roared with perception as their was nonetheless loads of time left to bounce again in the recreation.
But it was to be a heartbreaking finish for Bengaluru. One of their greatest possibilities of the total recreation got here in the dying moments when Suresh Wangam’s cross from the left was narrowly headed huge by Jhingan. Odisha, who confirmed nerves for the first time in the match in the remaining jiffy, have been extra relieved than ever when referee Rahul Kumar Gupta blew his full-time whistle. The job was accomplished. They had claimed their first-ever trophy.
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