Odisha FC scored six and conceded four against East Bengal in an Indian Super League fixture that witnessed a great contest of attacking football, at the Tilak Maidan Stadium, on Tuesday.
There were 11 goals the last time the two sides met in the last season. And much like what it achieved last time (a 6-5 win), Odisha FC ended the winner again but with a bigger margin.
The Bhubaneshwar-based side made a spectacular comeback in the first half as it erased the deficit of a goal to score three in the second quarter.
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Utilising three successive corners to its advantage, Odisha saw its Spanish defender Hector Rodas nodding home the first two goals in the 33rd and 40th minutes while the other Spaniard Javi Hernandez curled the third home direct from the corner in the 45th.
East Bengal had earned the lead in the 13th off a fine effort from Darren Sidoel.
Odisha FC refreshed its attack options as coach Kiko Ramirez made three changes after the break.
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This worked well as one of the substitutes, Aridai Cabrera, made it 4-1 in the 71st minute.
When everything looked over both sides traded more goals. East Bengal clawed back to make it 4-2 with a goal from Semboi Haokip (80th minute) before another Odisha sub Isaac Ralte converted a counter attack to make it 5-2 in the 82nd minute.
East Bengal’s Nigerian substitute Daniel Chukwu scored twice in a span of two minutes (including a penalty) to make it 5-4 in the added time. But Aridai Cabrera made the win look more convincing adding one more to his tally 90+3 minute.
The result: Odisha FC 6 (Hector Rodas 33, 40, Javi Hernandez 45, Aridai Cabrera 71, 90+3, Isaac Ralte 82) bt East Bengal 4 (Darren Sidoel 13, Semboi Haokip 80, Daniel Chukwu 90, 90+1-pen).
Wednesday’s match: ATK Mohun Bagan vs Mumbai City FC, 7.30 p.m .