Odisha failed to end ATK Mohun Bagan’s all-win start…
ATK Mohun Bagan continued their all-win start in the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) following a narrow win against Odisha in their third match of the season at the Fatorda Stadium on Thursday.
The teams fought toe-to-toe right until Roy Krishna’s header decided the fate of the game in the final minute.
Antonio Lopez Habas and Stuart Baxter made a change each to the lineups. Manvir Singh replaced David Williams and Diego Mauricio came in for Manuel Onwu for ATK Mohun Bagan and Odisha respectively.
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The first major goal-scoring chance fell to Roy Krishna in the 24th minute when he found himself one-on-one with Kamaljit Singh after receiving a long ball from Tiri inside the Odisha box. The Fijian blasted the ball over the crossbar.
The easiest chance of the half was squandered by Jacob Tratt in the 35th minute. Premjit Singh played a short corner to Marcelinho who found Cole Alexander at the edge of the box. Alexander lobbed a cross into the box for Tratt who headed wide with an empty net available.
The first half was a cagey affair and an evenly poised contest as both teams adopted a safety-first approach.
ATK Mohun Bagan were unlucky not to get a penalty in the 50th minute when Hendry Antonay brought down Prabir Das. The tackle was just about inside the box as the replay suggested but the referee gave a free-kick instead on the left edge of the box.
In the 56th minute, Prabir Das’ cross inside the box was halfheartedly cleared by Steven Taylor which hit Manvir on his left arm and went to Cole Alexander who mistakenly headed the ball into his own net in a bid to clear. Manvir was charged with a handball and the own goal stood cancelled.
The Kolkata giants shifted momentum and commanded proceedings but we’re not able to create any major chance in the attacking third as Baxter’s men defended resolutely.
But the Mariners finally broke the deadlock and sealed the fate of the game in the dying minutes of the match as Roy Krishna proved to be their saviour yet again. Tiri floated a long free-kick inside the box and Sandesh Jhingan headed the ball back in the middle. Krishna pounced above Alexander and found the back of the net with a clinical header.
