Stung by an early reverse, Odisha rallies to turn the tables on Mohun Bagan
Odisha FC fought back from a decit to defeat League Shield champion Mohun Bagan Super Giant 2-1 in the seminal rst leg of ISL-10 at the Kalinga Stadium here on Tuesday.
Bagan went into the lead in the third minute through Manvir Singh before Carlos Delgado and Roy Krishna found the target once each to hand Odisha the advantage going into the second leg in Kolkata on April 28.
Both teams were down to 10 midway through the second half after Bagan forward Armando Sadiku and Odisha defender Delgado were ejected following their second booking.
Odisha exploited the lack of intensity in the Bagan ranks in the opening period.
Though the Kolkata outt drew rst blood — Manvir nodded home a Dimitri
Petratos corner — it went into a shell and allowed the host to claw back.
Odisha cashed in on the opportunity, making repeated forays and earning ve corners in quick succession.
It tasted success o£ the nal corner of that series and restored parity in the 11th minute. Ahmed Jahouh curled the ball into the Bagan goalmouth and an unmarked Delgado red home.
The home team could have gone ahead in the 14th minute when it was given a penalty, but the decision was overturned by the referee after consulting his assistant, ¢agging Krishna o£-side.
Odisha found the lead in the 39th minute when Krishna outmuscled Bagan stopper-back Hector Yuste and tapped home.
That proved the nal strike of the day.
The result (semifinal, first leg): Odisha FC 2 (Delgado 11, Krishna 39) bt Mohun Bagan Super Giant 1 (Manvir Singh 3).