ISL side Odisha clinches AFC Cup spot

KOZHIKODE: Super Cup champion Odisha FC beat I-League winner Gokulam Kerala FC 3-1 in a play-off match to seal a spot in the 2023-24 AFC Cup group stage, here on Saturday.

The result gave Odisha FC, which finished sixth in the Indian Super League, its chance to debut in the second-tier continental club competition on the back of an outstanding two weeks at the fag end of the domestic season.

In the ISL, it played in fits and starts, never really putting together a good enough run of form to really challenge for the title. But over the last two weeks, Odisha enjoyed tremendous success as it laid siege of Kozhikode. Having won the Super Cup title, Saturday’s play-off win put a continental cherry on a brilliant cake.

It didn’t take long for Odisha to stamp its authority on the game. It was quicker on the ball and even more authoritative without it.

The first chance, however, didn’t fall Odisha’s way. Gokulam, which played most of the game as a counter-attacking unit, came at it through a Thahir Zaman corner, perfectly curled for Aminou Bouba in the six-yard area. The Cameroonian put his header high and wide.

Very soon Gokulam was made to pay for its errors, in more ways than one.

In the 18th minute from a seemingly innocuous throw-in on the left touchline, Nandha Kumar dummied, Victor Romero spun and Diego Mauricio was through one-on-one. The Brazilian finished to notch his 20th goal in all competitions and give Odisha the lead.

It was a goal that was built on simplicity, but also exposed a Gokulam defence that had gone to bed. Suddenly Odisha started running riot, Mauricio, Mawihmingthanga and Romero combining to create a host of opportunities and keep the Gokulam defence on its toes. Romero came closest just before the half hour mark, curling a free kick from a narrow angle on the left onto the crossbar.

In the 31st minute, Mauricio got his second goal, dribbling but also bulldozing his way through Gokulam’s left side to double the lead.