Odisha FC thrashed Hyderabad FC 6-0 in the 52nd match of the Indian Super League at the Maidaan in Gachibowli, Hyderabad, on Monday, November 25. The visitors ran amok, with Isak Ralte, Diego Mauricio, Mourtada Fall, Puitea and Rahim Ali getting on the scoresheet for them, helped immensely by Lalbiakhlua Jongte’s own goal.
Hyderabad’s defenders appeared awestruck by the occasion, although their attackers did their best to put them in front. The Nawabs impressed in their final third, only to fall short while trying to convert them into goals. Odisha, on the other hand, were brilliant with the ball at their feet and punished the Yellow and Black for every mistake the latter made.
The Juggernauts were by far the better side on display, and head coach Sergio Lobera is bound to be impressed with his wards’ performance. Hyderabad, who travels to take on Mumbai City next, has a lot of questions to answer. Head coach Thangboi Singto will be worried by his team’s disheartening show, given that their last game was a stunning 2-1 win at Kerala Blasters.
Here are three key takeaways from this match:
#1 The fluidity of Odisha’s attack
Odisha’s attacking prowess was fully displayed on this chilly night at the Maidaan as they played with a fluidity that they had rarely shown so far this season. Coming into this game on the back of just one win in their last five encounters, the Juggernauts needed to put up a special performance to break out of the rut, and break they did!
Although they lost talismanic striker Roy Krishna early on in the first half (17th minute) due to injury, the arrival of Diego Mauricio spurred the visitors on to heights they had rarely seen this campaign. The Brazilian’s interplay with the versatile Isak Ralte was flamboyant and caused severe headaches to the Hyderabad defense, which appeared clueless in the first half.
#2 Edmilson Correia’s fascinating performance
New signing Edmilson Correia’s partnership with fellow striker Allan Paulista was heartening to watch given that the duo have not had a lot of time to work with each other. The former, who arrived mid-season, impressed everyone with his pace, although he will be the first to admit that he could have done a tad better in one-on-one situations.
However, Correia was marked tightly by both Mourtada Fall and Thoiba Singh, and he did his best to weave out of the web that Odisha had created for him. The Guinea-Bissau attacker was also on point with his passing and brought fellow attackers Ramhlunchhunga and Abdul Rabeeh into play on several occasions.
#3 Hyderabad’s costly defensive lapses
Hyderabad’s defensive lapses cost them big time in this game, with them often losing shape and allowing the visitors to take too many shots in their final third. Head coach Singto took Stefan Sapic off in the second half (59th minute), allowing Parag Shrivas, Alex Saji, and Mohammed Rafi to play in a three-man defense.
Singto’s idea was to install Ayush Adhikari and Cy Goddard in midfield, with the latter playing in the creator’s role, which he usually excels in. Although the Japan youth international brought some much-needed flair to the pitch, Hyderabad’s sad state of affairs in their own box caused little relief to the scattering of supporters who turned up at the Maidaan. The Nawabs’ unwillingness to track back or mark opponents hurt them immensely.
Follow IFTWC for more updates on Indian Football.
