ISL playoff Odisha FC 2-1 Kerala Blasters Highlights: Isak, Mauricio help Juggernauts enter semifinals

Goals from Diego Mauricio and Isak Vanlalruatfela help Odisha FC complete a comeback in extra time and enter the semifinals of the Indian Super League this season. 

Odisha FC looks almost set for a semifinal spot but as Rahul tries to steal the ball off Mauricio, he goes to the ground. It looks like some sort of tie wasting strategy by the the Juggernauts. 

Odisha FC looks set to see the game out as Lobera replaces goalscorer Isak with a tall and defensive Vignesh in the last few minutes of extra-time.

It has been a tale of goalkeepers struggling with fitness in this game, with Amrinder now clinching his knee after catching a corner kick.

Daisuke tries to catch OFC’s defence unaware with a shot on target but Amrinder gobbles it up to end another attack of the visitors to nothing.

Kerala Blasters looks to attack with an overlap but as Luna looks to receive the ball with an overlapping run, OFC’s defenders cut down the spaces to see the ball out for an OFC goal kick.

Luna and Jahouh, two generals in the midfield for their respective sides, go for the ball at the same time and the latter ends up conceding a free-kick. Though the OFC player appeals for innocence, the referee is not interested.

Odisha gets the ball rolling and KBFC has made one change, bringing in Pritam Kotal instead of Leskovic, who looks absolutely jaded, having played over 110 minutes in Odisha’s blazing heat.

Isak Vanlalruatfela’s goal looks to have given OFC new spirit as it looks to capitalise on home support to continue its impressive run under Lobera.

Goddard tries to set up Krishna in the centre but Leskovic is again at the centre of things, clearing the ball away. Though he has got a booking, he has been the heart of KBFC’s defence tonight.

Rahul KP receives a cross from the right, flying in and his header is met equally well by Amrinder, who pushes the ball away for a KBFC corner kick. The kick is finally cleared by Lenny.

Odisha FC gets a free-kick, which is taken by Jahouh. Thoiba receives the ball with his head but Leskovic eventually clears the ball.

Jahouh delivers a gorgeous no look pass to Roy Krishna, who crosses to Isak on his left and the Indian midfielder rattles the net with the leading goal.

Jahouh, after his corner kick was cleared, tries a cross in the centre but Karanjit pushes it away.

Ranawade and Goddard combine along the right flank but the former’s cross, received by Goddard, is finally cleared by a closely knit KBFC defence.

Kerala Blasters tries to deliver a long ball along the left flank but overshoots the ball, which goes out of play without causing any trouble to OFC.

Rahul KP starts the first half of extra time, with KBFC playing from right to left and Odisha starting from the other side.

A late equaliser by Mauricio sees Odisha FC hold KBFC to a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time. Now, extra-time will follow.

Hormipam tries a shot from outside the box but the ball flies over the net to the relief of the home fans while KBFC fans have their hands on their hands.

Just when Kerala Blasters looked to seal the game, the Juggernauts have fought back with their most reliable striker over the years -- Diego Mauricio. The super-sub looks to have made a difference and how!

Kerala Blasters is playing triangular passes in the midfield, trying to see out the remaining time in what might be a major turnover from last season. It was at this stage that KBFC walked out mid-game against Bengaluru FC, handing the win to Sunil Chhetri’s BFC.

Odisha FC looks for one last push in the final 10 minutes of regulation time. Jahouh takes the free-kick, which is headed away by Leskovic.

In: Adrian Luna, Out: Fedor Cernych

In: Karanjit, Rahul KP

Out: Lara, Aimen

Kerala Blasters’ goalkeeper Lara Sharma looks to be in substantial pain. Though he gets back on his feet, he goes to the ground after the corner as the Blasters signal for his replacement in Karanjit Singh.

Roy Krishna tries to find a goal with a shot from outside the box. However, his right-footed hit on target was saved by Lara.

In: Cy Goddard, N. Gahlot

Out: Fall, Puitea

Lobera looks pretty much worked up as he gets three substitutes ready for the final push in this do-or-die clash.

Aimen gets the ball in the midfield, looks to his right and passes it to Cerynch who runs into the box and buries the ball in the left-bottom corner.

Odisha attacks on the counter with Isak getting the ball along the left flank. He tries to set up Jerry on the right, with a cross, but Lara intercepts.

Odisha FC looks to take the long ball approach, with all trying to set up Krishna in front. However, too much power from the centre-back sees the ball go out of play.

Vibin beats two OFC players along the left flank but his cross is cleared. But Daisuke gets the ball second later and combines with Vibin to deliver a cross, which is kicked out by Fall for a corner. However, that set-piece opportunity ends to nothing, too.

Saurav gets the ball along the right and cuts back for Aimen, who leaves it for Cernych, whose shot flies over the net. What a miss from the Lithuanian captain!

Aimen gets the ball in the midfield and marauds into the final third as Fall and Jahouh try to get back. Aimen takes a shot, which is saved by Amrinder and then the ball comes off the woodwork.

Jerry received the ball but Hormipam makes a timely block and then Ranawade take a shot, which is saved by Lara, giving an OFC corner.

The ball is playing pinball in the midfield at the moment, with the two sitting deep and OFC, just then starts pulling string in attack with Jahouh delivering a long ball from the midfield.

Kerala Blasters catches OFC napping early on, with Freddy threading a through ball for Cernych, who fails to keep his shot on target. 

A disallowed goal by Mourtada Fall remains the biggest highlight in the first half, which ends all square. The next half will be extremely important for the sides, looking for a semifinal spot this season.

Odisha attacks on the counter with Isak carrying the ball into the final third off a pass from Amrinder. However, he tries to go for goal instead of passing to Jerry on his right, who was standing unmarked and the ball flies over the net. 

The Juggernauts continuing to ask questions in the KBFC half, with Princeton passing it to Ranawade, who crosses it for Jerry. Just then KBFC intercepts and clears the ball and the referee stops play, with Princeton down. He was fouled by Leskovic.

Odisha FC tries to attack with another set-piece attempt with Jahouh taking a free-kick, lobbing it up for Roy Krishna, who fails to make the most of it with a poor shot.

Odidha FC tries to snatch the loose ball in the box as Jerry rushes in. But Sandeep tracks him down and brushes him away to deny any scoring chance for the OFC midfielder.

The match resumes with KBFC starting with an attack but the ball lands safely in the hands of Amrinder Singh.

Saurav makes a quick run along the right flank, trying to cut in from the outside but Puitea marks him well to keep him at bay. And play stops temporarily for a drinks break.

Mourtada Fall scores with an assist from Ahmed Jahouh. But the referee and the linesmen, after a chat among themselves following protests from Kerala Blasters rules the goal out as the defender was seen in an offside decision.

The match is moving into a rather physical battle, with Drincic getting into the book for a rash challenge on Fall and then Ranawade.

KBFC gets an opening seconds later with Hormipam making a a run behind the defence to receive a cross from his left. However, Amrinder catches the ball easily to put that attack to bed.

KBFC attacks on the counter with Daisuke setting up Saurav Mandal on his right but his final shot is blocked in the last minute by Delgado.

OFC keeps pressing KBFC up the pitch and gets a corner. Jahouh takes the corner from the left and Sandeep intercepts it for another corner. That, taken quickly by Jahouh is whipped in by the Moroccan, forcing a save by Lara. 

Odisha tries to create an opening with another set-piece attempt with Jahouh and Fall combining again. However, Drincic sticks to the Senegalese centre-back to ensure the score remains locked at 0-0.

Odisha FC gets a corner kick, which Jahouh takes. Fall meets it with a towering header but the ball flies over the net.

Odisha FC attacks against the run of play, with Puitea delivering a through ball for Krishna. However, Krishna’s cross is cleared by Vibin.

Cernich draws OFC defenders towards him to release Aimen, who tries a shot from outside the box only to see it go wide.

Odisha FC starts playing from the back, with small asses among the defenders. It will look to make the best of the experience of Fall and Jahouh, two players Lobera has won silverware with, at two different clubs.

Cernych gets the ball along the right flank, gets the ball back with an overlapping run but fails to keep the shot on target as Delgado does a deft job in defence. 

Odisha tries to ask questions on the other end as Roy Krishna barges into the KBFC box, receives a low cross from the right but skies the shot miles over the net.

Kerala Blasters tries to attack on the counter and and Daisuke tries a long ranges which causes no trouble for Amrinder as the ball goes off-target.

KBFC gets the ball rolling at the Kalinga Stadium. The host side starts in its home kit of purple while Kerala Blasters starts in its recognisable yellow and blue.

The referee walks out of the tunnel, grabs the matchball as the players of both teams follow. The playoff will kick off in a matter of minutes and the fans of both sides have made their way into the stands.

Ivan Vukomanovic, KBFC head coach:

“During the season we had to completely change the squad due to issues such as surgeries to key players and other uncontrollable factors. But after the season the mentality is completely different in the knockouts, as you don’t have to plan for the long term here.”

Sergio Lobera, OFC head coach:

“If I were to analyse the whole season so far today, I’m very happy. We competed well against the strongest teams in India. We made it to the final of the Super Cup and though we lost it, we fought till the end.”

Odisha FC and Kerala Blasters FC will lock horns in the first match of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 playoffs at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Friday.

Both teams are heading into the knockouts with identical forms, losing thrice along with drawing and winning once each in their previous five games.

The Juggernauts finished fourth in the points table with 39 points, whereas Kerala Blasters FC ended up fifth with 33 points. This one-legged playoff fixture is important for both teams, with a win here taking them straight into the ISL semifinals, where the top-two sides, i.e. Mumbai City FC and Mohun Bagan Super Giant await them.

Both Sergio Lobera and Ivan Vukomanovic are seasoned tacticians, and they will be edging to set their teams up perfectly for the crucial 90 minutes lying ahead of theM.

Read the full preview here: Boosted by Luna’s return, Kerala Blasters takes on Odisha FC with a semifinal spot at stake