A 10-man Odisha FC picked up its second win of the season as it overcame Hyderabad FC 3-2 in the Hero Indian Super League match at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex on Wednesday.
Carlos Delgado (27') and Xisco Hernandez (41') gave Odisha a first-half lead. Odisha then had Vinit Rai sent off for a second bookable offence in the 65th minute and Bobo scored from the spot to set up a nervy finish to the game.
Odisha was awarded a penalty of its own 71 minutes into the game, which Martin Guedes converted. Rohit Kumar (89') pulled one back at the death for the visitor but could not stop Odisha from taking all three points.
AS IT HAPPENED | Odisha FC vs Hyderabad FC
Odisha started the game on the front foot, pressing high up the field. Diawandou Diagne's cross-field ball was brought under control by Aridane Santana. He flicked it into the path of Nandhakumar Sekar who was dispossessed by Adil Khan with a brilliant tackle just before the winger could get a shot away.
The intensity paid off when Xisco set up the first goal with a dangerous in-swinging delivery from a corner. Goalkeeper Kamaljit failed to punch the ball away and Delgado headed home the opening goal.
A curling effort from Robin Singh flew inches wide as Hyderabad attempted to equalise but it was the home team who struck again before the break. The creator turned scorer as Xisco initiated a threatening move from the centre and passed it to Jerry Mawihmingthanga who returned the favour with a pin-point cross that the Spaniard buried from inside the box.
Odisha continued to threaten to add to its tally. Xisco was afforded a great chance to put the game to bed soon after the break when he was fed through by Jerry. The Spaniard's dipping strike flew wide of the target. Nandhakumar later latched onto a diagonal from the deep, cut inside from the left flank and struck powerfully only to be denied by the crossbar.
Odisha was then reduced to ten men when Vinit Rai handled the ball inside the box, conceded a penalty and was sent off for picking up a second yellow. Bobo made no mistake from 12 yards to give his team a chance to get back into the game.
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Hyderabad's hopes of a comeback were soon ended as Giles Barnes fouled substitute Martin Guedes and conceded a penalty at the other end. The Argentine stepped up and coolly slotted into the net to take the game away from Phil Brown's men.
Hyderabad reduced the deficit in the 89th minute when a hopeful cross into the box by Gurtej Singh was headed in by Rohit Kumar but it was nothing more than a consolation.
After eight matches, Odisha is sixth on the table with nine points while Hyderabad is at the bottom with four points.
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