Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
FATORDA: Odisha FC secured a thrilling 1-0 victory over Chennaiyin FC on Wednesday evening, clinching a spot in the semi-finals of the Bhausaheb Bandodkar Memorial Trophy. The match, held under the floodlights at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, featured a tense tactical showdown between the two east coast teams battling for Group B dominance.
The decisive moment came in the 38th minute when Brazilian Diego Machado coolly converted a penalty, breaking the deadlock. The penalty was awarded after Roy Krishna was brought down in the box following a precise through ball from Hugo Boumous.
The first half highlighted the teams’ contrasting strategies. Odisha, led by coach Sergio Lobera, displayed intricate, quick passing reminiscent of tiki-taka football, while Chennaiyin, under Owen Coyle's direction, opted for a more direct style, frequently sending crosses into the box to test Odisha's defense. Chennaiyin's goalkeeper, Samik Mitra, made an early crucial save to deny Boumous, but he couldn't stop Machado's well-placed penalty.
In the second half, Chennaiyin pushed hard for an equaliser, with Coyle introducing Vincy Barretto and Irfan Yadwad to boost their attacking threat. Despite several close opportunities, including a narrow miss from Barretto, Odisha's defense held strong.
As the final whistle blew, Odisha FC celebrated their advancement to the semi-finals, emerging as the top team in Group B.