In match marred by poor officiating, CFC, Odisha play out 2-2 draw

CHENNAI: In an Indian Super League 2022-23 match that was marred by horrendous officiating, Chennaiyin FC and Odisha FC shared the honours in an exciting 2-2 draw at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Thursday.

The on-field officials made as many as three shocking match-influencing decisions – two in the first half and one in the second period – to steal the limelight for all the wrong reasons. On a night when the officials were just not up to task, the two teams, fighting for play-off spots, left everything on the pitch to clinch the full three points.

Diego Mauricio (24’) and Isak Vanlalruatfela (48’) netted for Odisha, with skipper Anirudh Thapa (25’) and Nasser El Khayati (57’) levelling the score for Chennaiyin in the first and second half respectively. Following the stalemate at the ‘Marina Arena’, OFC (23 points from 16 matches) jumped to sixth on the table while CFC (18 points from 16 matches) remains eighth and is all but out of the play-off battle.

With luck on its side, Odisha opened the scoring against the run of play in the 24th minute. Isak, occupying a central role in the build-up to the goal, slipped Mauricio through and the Brazilian striker thumped the ball home with his left foot. The opener should not have stood as television replays showed that Mauricio was miles offside when the ball was played to him.

The lead was short-lived, thanks to Thapa’s maiden ISL goal of the season in the very next minute. CFC came up with an instant response via Thapa, who was unmarked in the area and headed in a delicious cross from leftback Aakash Sangwan.

A couple of minutes later, the officials made another blunder by erroneously chalking off an OFC goal for offside. A Nandhakumar Sekar long-range shot from the right deflected off the far post and fell on the feet of Isak to score from close range. Isak was well onside before reacting swiftly in the six-yard box, but the linesman raised his flag.

CFC striker Petar Sliskovic hit the side netting around the 40-minute mark while Odisha goalkeeper Amrinder Singh made some fine saves in the first half that ended 1-1.

Just three minutes after the restart, the visiting team went 2-1 up when Isak turned in a superb low cross from Nandhakumar after cleverly beating the CFC defenders. But, the host mounted a comeback for the second time in the match as El Khayati’s side-footed effort in the 57th minute struck the inside of the post and went in.

The Dutchman was in the thick of things in the final quarter of the contest. In the 70th minute, El Khayati was brought down in the 18-yard box by Odisha substitute Lalruatthara, who made a potentially leg-breaking tackle, but Chennaiyin was denied a stonewall penalty by referee Pratik Mondal. The attacking midfielder rattled his near post in the 77th minute and looked visibly angry when he was brought off in second half stoppage time.

RESULT: Chennaiyin FC 2 (A Thapa 25, El Khayati 57) drew with Odisha FC 2 (D Mauricio 24, Isak 48)