Roy Krishna scored a hat-trick to help ATK FC down visiting Odisha FC 3-1 in an ISL fixture at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Saturday. Krishna’s outstanding effort saw the home side, playing its 50th home game, progressing to the play-offs after a break of two seasons. The club also returned to the top of the current standings (33 points) edging out FC Goa on goal difference. The only reply from the visitor came from Manuel Onwu.
The first half remained an insipid affair with none of the sides looking too eager to step on the accelerator. ATK enjoyed the lion's share of possession and could have found the break in the seventh minute but Edu Garcia failed to reach the end of a Prabir Das cross.
Highlights |
Things changed quite dramatically after the halftime break as ATK started finding channels to locate Krishna in the attacking zone. The Fijian scored the opener off a set-piece situation in the 49th minute when he volleyed home a corner from Javier Hernandez.
ATK's insurance goal came at the hour mark thanks to a brilliant solo by Krishna again. He latched on to a long ball from defender Armando Sosa Pena and darted through the left wing to elude his marker, Carlos Delgado. Krishna showed great control in the end as chipped over the opposition goalkeeper, Francisco Dorronsoro, to make it the most spectacular goal of the evening.
Krishna completed his hat-trick three minutes later when he made the most of a shattered Odisha defence and slotted home a perfect cross from Jayesh Rane. The completion of the hat-trick also took Krishna's personal tally to 13 goals, which places him on top of the goal-scorers chart.
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