ISL 2022-23: Hyderabad FC’s League Shield hopes fade as Odisha FC jumps back to 6th place

ISL 2022-23: Matchday 20 continued on Friday as Odisha FC hosted Hyderabad FC. However, the latter suffered a 1-3 upset, as its aspirations for winning the League Shield took a massive blow.

Image credit: FSDL

Odisha FC (OFC) bore its celestial history at home this season after a 3-1 win over defending champion Hyderabad FC (HFC) in the 2022-23 Indian Super League (ISL) at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar on Friday. The victory saw the Juggernauts replace former champion Bengaluru FC (BFC) in the sixth spot, adding extra pressure on the Blues, who play Kerala Blasters (KBFC) on Saturday. A failure for HFC also signifies that if former champion Mumbai City (MCFC) succeeds versus FC Goa (FCG) on Saturday, the Islanders will be crowned ISL League Shield winners.

The hosts got off to a festive start and were better in the opening half. They monopolised possession and had nine tries on goal. HFC could only summon three. Five out of those cracks came via Diego Mauricio. In two experiences, the striker could not keep his endeavour on target, while Gurmeet Singh dealt with the others.

The Brazilian came closest in the 13th minute when his goal-bound trial picked up a minor deflection off Odei Onaindia and kissed outside the post. Saul Crespo handled the beat from midfield and nearly donated a goal when his close-range header from a corner went wide. Gurmeet was concrete between the posts, but it was not enough to keep OFC hushed, getting its noses in front minutes after the 30-minute mark. Pedro Martin played the ball back to Isak Ralte, unleashing a curling cutey from about 30 yards out to put the hosts ahead.

When it appeared that the Juggernauts were going into the break ahead, HFC patched equivalence. Borja Herrera lifted the ball into the box from a free-kick, liberated only as far as Nim Dorjee. The defender got his head on it to draw level. Six minutes into the following half, after a bright give-and-go with Narzary, Joel Chianese aviated into the box with the ball and attempted to cram it in at the near post, but Amrinder Singh had it sheathed. This prospect came junctures after Narzary's header was rescued comfortably by Amrinder.

HFC turned its play up, but OFC retook the lead in the game's final quarter. Mauricio's ravaging run drew three defenders on the left of the box before an easygoing ball fell into the course of Nandhakumar Sekar. The winger dashed it across the face of the goal, and it picked up a deflection off Dorjee, going into the back of the net.

Mauricio's diligence was finally rewarded in the final minute of stoppage time. Isaac Chhakchhuak threw the ball into the box as the Brazilian got past the offside trap before lodging the ball in at the far post from a sharp angle, securing all three points for the Juggernauts. OFC will voyage to play NorthEast United (NEUFC) in its successive match on February 17. Meanwhile, HFC's eight-contest unbeaten streak ended, and it will test to bounce back versus ATK Mohun Bagan (ATKMB) on Tuesday.