PANAJI: Odisha FC have edged out Chennaiyin FC in an edge-of-your- seat 1-0 victory, booking their place in the semi-finals of the Bhausaheb Bandodkar Memorial Trophy, Wednesday evening.
The match, played under the floodlights at PJN Stadium in Fatorda, saw the east coast sides locked in a tactical battle for Group B supremacy. It was Brazilian Diego Machado who broke the deadlock, coolly slotting home a penalty in the 38th minute.
The first half was a showcase of contrasting styles. Odisha, under Lobera's guidance, wove intricate patterns with short, swift passes, reminiscent of tiki-taka football. Chennaiyin, helmed by Owen Coyle, favoured a more direct approach, peppering the box with crosses from the flanks, keeping Odisha's defence on their toes.
Chennaiyin's goalkeeper Samik Mitra was called into early action, denying Hugo Boumous with a brilliant save that had fans on the edge of their seats. However, he couldn't prevent Machado's penalty, awarded after Roy Krishna was felled in the box following a defence-splitting through ball from Boumous.
The second half saw Chennaiyin throw caution to the wind in search of an equaliser. Coyle's substitutions, bringing on Vincy Barretto and Irfan Yadwad, injected fresh energy into their attack. Despite close calls, including a gilt-edged chance for Barretto that went agonisingly wide, Odisha's defence stood firm.
As the final whistle blew, it was Odisha celebrating their semi-final berth, proving kings of group B.
