Football
ISL: Odisha FC register a comeback win against East Bengal FC- Talking Points
Odisha FC came from behind to beat East Bengal 2-1, with Hugo Boumous scoring the winner in the 81st minute.
Odisha FC secured a narrow 2-1 victory over East Bengal FC. (File Photo)
In a thrilling encounter at the Salt Lake Stadium, Odisha FC came from behind to defeat East Bengal 2-1 in their Match Week 12 clash of the Indian Super League (ISL).
Despite being reduced to 10 men in the first half, East Bengal took the lead early in the second half, but Odisha FC quickly leveled the score, and Hugo Boumous scored the winner in the 81st minute.
#4 East Bengal’s Early Struggles and Numerical Disadvantage
The first half was close, with East Bengal looking more dangerous in attack despite missing key players like Dimitrios Diamantakos and Saul Crespo. They had several chances but couldn’t finish, with Cleiton Silva and Nandhakumar Sekar missing opportunities.
Odisha FC also had a couple of good chances but hit the crossbar twice, once from Isak Ralte and then from Jerry Mawihmingthanga.
However, East Bengal's task became harder when midfielder Jeakson Singh was shown a red card in the 43rd minute, leaving them with 10 players for the remainder of the match.
Coach Oscar Bruzon expressed frustration with the decision after the match, claiming the referee missed a play acting incident by Odisha’s Diego Mauricio, which led to the red card.
#3 Second-Half Action and East Bengal’s Lead
Even with one player down, East Bengal started strong in the second half.
In the 53rd minute, Lalchungnunga scored from a corner to give them the lead. However, their happiness didn’t last long.
#2 Odisha’s Quick Response and Equalizer
Odisha FC quickly responded. Just two minutes after Lalchungnunga’s goal, Jerry Mawihmingthanga scored to level the game, assisted by Isak Ralte. Odisha now gained momentum.
#1 Boumous’ Late Winner and Odisha’s Move Up the Table
The match continued to be intense, with both sides pushing for the winner. In the 81st minute, Odisha FC’s persistence paid off when Hugo Boumous scored with a calm left footed strike to give his team the lead. East Bengal fought hard in the final minutes, but Odisha’s defense held firm to secure the win.
The victory lifted Odisha FC to third place in the standings with 19 points from 12 matches, while East Bengal remained in 11th place with seven points from 10 matches.
