A dominant Odisha FC humiliated reigning ISL champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant 5-2 in their high-scoring penultimate Group D clash of the AFC Cup here on November 27, leaving the legacy club's legion of fans crestfallen in their own backyard. The seasoned Hugo Boumous propelled Mohun Bagan into lead with his 17th-minute strike at the Salt Lake Stadium.
Roy Krishna found the equaliser in the 29th minute and Diego Mauricio silenced the home crowd by putting Odisha FC ahead with his 32nd-minute goal. The visiting OFC scored two goals in a span of three minutes. More misery awaited Mohun Bagan as Cy Goddard made it 3-1 in favour of OFC by finding the back of the net in the 41st minute, leaving the fans wearing the green-and-maroon jersey at the Salt Lake Stadium shocked.
The hosts sought a way back into the game after the interval and came close as the hour approached, Liston Colaco's free-kick from 30 yards hitting the top of the OFC crossbar on the way over. But it was game on in the 63rd minute as Bagan pulled one back when substitute Kiyan Nassiri rose highest in the middle to head Boumous' cross from the left into the back of the net.
Kiyan heading the ball into the OFC net reduced the margin for Mohun Bagan, raising hopes of a comeback. Sahal Samad clipped the top of the bar with a bouncing effort soon after as the noise reverberated around the stadium with the home supporters sensing an equaliser as their side cranked up the pressure.
One-way traffic ensued and a jinking run through the Odisha defence from Kiyan then gave him another goal-scoring opportunity with 15 minutes to play, but this time his powerful effort from inside the box hit the side netting. The visitors had a chance against the run of play as the game entered its final five minutes but Gahlot at the back post was off target after getting on the end of Jahouh's dangerous free-kick from the left.
However, Mohun Bagan failed to draw parity this time. Instead, when one thought that OFC would be content to hold on to their one-goal cushion, they fired in two more goals in the injury time to complete the humiliation.
Aniket Jadhav's (90+2) left-footed shot from very close range found its target after an assist by Roy Krishna following a set-piece situation. OFC were not done there as Isak Vanlalruatfela's right-footed shot from outside the box went in after Carlos Delgado did the spadework.
The goal-feast left Mohun Bagan Super Giant third in the points table and Sergio Lobera's team above MBSG. Thanks to the famous win, Odisha moved within a point of table-toppers Bashundhara Kings of Bangladesh, who they host on Matchday Six on December 11.
OFC thus avenged their loss to Mohun Bagan in their first-leg match at Bhubaneswar where they were blanked 0-4 in September. Caught off guard on a few occasions during counter attacks in the first half, Mohun Bagan were taken apart in the final stages of the game, conceding twice in the added time.
What must have added to Bagan's woes is that they were missing four key players from their first-team squad, who have been ruled out with injuries. Dimitri Petratos, Anwar Ali, Manvir Singh and Ashique Kuruniyan could only watch the match from the sidelines as their team suffered an embarrassing defeat.
Odisha will next host Bashundhara, needing a win to advance to the knockout rounds while Mohun Bagan will travel to the Maldives to take on Maziya Sports & Recreation.
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