New Delhi: Team Kerala Blasters defeated Odisha Football Club (FC) by 2-0 in the Indian Super League at the Tilak Maidan Stadium, Goa, on Wednesday, January 12, 2022. The setback for Odisha FC emerged before the match when their goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh was tested corona positive. Arshdeep Singh replaced Kamaljit as the keeper.
Odisha FC is the third club after FC Goa and ATK Mohun Bagan to comprise corona- positive players.
The match began with a clean play between Adrian Luna, Jorge Diaz, and Alvaro Vazquez of Kerala before Sahal Samad entered the box. Odisha keeper Arshdeep Singh saved it in the 6th minute.
Sahal kicked another box as Harmanjot Khabra header missed the goalpost in the 20th minute. Kerala midfielder Lalthathanga Khawlhring and Odisha’s Jerry Mawihmingthanga engaged in a duel in the 23rd minute, before Kerala’s Nishu Kumar received a pass from Luna and curled from the edge of the box in the 28th minute. Nishu’s swift goal had Kerala leading by 1-0.
Meanwhile, Odhisha’s Hendry Antonay got a yellow card in the 29th minute. Odisha’s Liridon Krasniqi possessed the ball and a free kick in the 35th minute, but the ball deflected. Kerala defender Khabra received the ball and shot a bullet header straight into the net. The Blasters continued to lead in the 40th minute by 2-0.
The second half began with Jerry, who missed a headshot passed by Odisha’s Nandhakumar Sekar as a deep cross in the 54th minute. Kerala’s Alvaro Vazquez also made a run for the net from the right but was saved by Singh.
Though both teams substituted players, they failed to score in the second half of the league. The match concluded with Kerala in a 2-0 lead against Odisha.
(Avya Mathur)