Odisha FC shock Mumbai City FC to end winless streak
Vasco: Jerry Mawihmingthanga scored twice in the second half as Odisha FC came from behind to beat league leaders Mumbai City FC 4-2 in a Hero Indian Super League (ISL) match at the Tilak Maidan stadium in Vasco, Goa on Monday.
The victory put an end to a four-match winless run for Odisha FC who responded in style to the 6-1 drubbing at the hands of Hyderabad FC in the last match.
Aridai Suarez (4') gave Kiko Ramirez's men the early lead in the contest but the Islanders stormed back through goals from Ahmed Jahouh (11') and Igor Angulo (38') to take a 2-1 lead. But Odisha FC mounted a comeback in the second half and claimed all three points thanks to Jerry's (70', 77') double and a late goal from Jonathas (89').
Odisha FC were up against it against the league leaders but made most of the vulnerability that they have shown defensively in recent times when Fall lost the ball in a dangerous area allowing Suarez to run at the defence. He twisted and turned to create space for a shot and found the top corner to put Odisha FC in front in the fourth minute.
Two minutes later Nandhakumar Sekhar got behind the Mumbai City FC defence but the shot from his cutback was blocked in time.
The defending champions gathered themselves after a rocky start and Bipin Singh close to restoring parity two minutes later but his shot flew wide.
However, there was no such problem for Jahouh who expertly curled a long-range strike into the goal in the 11th minute to make it 1-1.
It was all Mumbai City FC after their equaliser and Kamaljit Singh had to be alert to keep his side level in the 27th minute when Angulo found a cross from the left side but his shot was saved well by the goalkeeper.
The Islanders eventually made the pressure count in the 38th minute when Angulo sent a clever header from a Jahouh free-kick on the right past Kamaljit to make it 2-1. Raynier Fernandes went close to adding a third just before the half-time but he was denied by Kamaljit who dived down to his left to make a save.
