CHENNAI: Odisha FC showed heart and character as they drew 2-2 with NorthEast United FC in Tuesday's ISL match at GMC Stadium in Bambolim. It was an entertaining game, with both teams scoring in each half.
The result means Odisha gain only their second point of the campaign from seven games and climb a spot to 10th. They are yet to win a match, but at least the losing streak came to an end. On the other hand, NorthEast remain fourth with 11 points from eight games. However, they have not won in the last four attempts.
Before the game, Odisha had scored the joint-fewest goals (3), while the Highlanders had not scored in the last two games. It was not expected to be a goal fest, but the match turned out to be entertaining with both teams playing attacking football.
Odisha should have opened the scoring in the 18th minute, when Diego Mauricio tried to bundle the ball home during a goalmouth scramble. However, Dylan Fox cleared the ball from the line. Mauricio did not miss his next attempt. He got the ball on the left of the box from a throw-in and unleashed a shot from more than 20 yards out which flew into the bottom corner.
The Highlanders got a few chances to equalise from set-pieces but could not capitalise. However, right on the stroke of half-time, Ashutosh Mehra's cross was met by a bullet header from skipper Benjamin Lambot for the equaliser.
The goals in the second half came in the space of a minute. NorthEast went ahead through a Kwesi Appiah spot-kick which he earned and duly dispatched. A minute later, Cole Alexander brilliantly curled home Odisha's second of the match to draw his side level. NorthEast had the better of the chances to win the game, but in the end it was a fair result.
"I believe we deserved three points for the amount of chances we created. We controlled the game and the ball, something that we did not do before. It's not a priority, but we prefer to control the game. Today we came with a very offensive team but the little details cost us two points," NorthEast coach Gerard Nus said after the game.
Odisha coach Stuart Baxter praised his team's character and the resolve they showed but moaned the lapse in concentration during crucial moments. Both teams will get a few days of rest before their next games, which will be in January.