ISL 2020-21, OFC vs FCG talking points: Odisha's 'vicious circle', Ortiz dazzles
ISL 2020: Here are the talking points from FC Goa's 1-0 win over Odisha FC in the Indian Super League.
Published : Dec 13, 2020 08:09 IST
FC Goa defeated Odisha FC 1-0 in the Indian Super League thanks to a first-half strike from Igor Angulo on Saturday at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim.
Here are the talking points from the game.
Ortiz dazzles
Jorge Ortiz put on a man-of-the-match performance from the left wing. In the previous seasons, Goa lacked a winger-cum-forward with Ortiz's skillsets. The Spaniard's arrival has added a new dimension for Goa this season with his incisive running and dribbling. He has registered 12 dribbles from five matches -- most for a player this season.
He had four shots on target against Odisha and could have had a hattrick if it weren't for the superb saves from 'keeper Arshdeep Singh. Odisha head coach Stuart Baxter spoke of how 'his full-backs were getting turned inside out' and his right-back Shubham Sarangi struggled to keep Ortiz quiet down the left channel.
Odisha in a 'vicious circle'
"It’s a vicious circle, until we play with more confidence it will pretty much be the same thing," Odisha coach Baxter said in the post-match presentation. Odisha has lost four of its five games and is languishing at 10th with just a point to its name.
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Baxter has had various challenges in what was a short pre-season in the bio-secure environment. Several of his key players -- Marcelinho, Vinit Rai, Jerry Mawihmingthanga -- have suffered injuries and he didn't have his full contingent of overseas players until the second game of the season.
The team has also been undone by poor defensive errors which have cost it crucial points. It has conceded three penalties this season and has let in goals in stoppage times of both halves. Two big games are around the corner against unbeaten sides Bengaluru FC and NorthEast United, which could define the season.
Arshdeep comes good
Odisha shot-stopper Arshdeep has often come under fire for some of his mistakes since his ISL debut in the 2019-20 campaign. In the new season, the 23-year-old was dropped after the opening game and only a concussion to Kamaljit Singh paved the way for the former Minerva Punjab player to return to the lineup against Goa.
While he couldn't do much to stop Angulo slotting home the eventual game-winner, Arshdeep pulled off eight saves to offer Odisha a chance to get back into the game. He managed an incredible double save to stop Angulo with his feet before diving full-stretch to keep Ortiz's curler from going into the net within the space of a few seconds.
With this performance, Arshdeep may have staked a claim to keep his place in the starting XI in the next few matches.