INDIAN FOOTBALL

NorthEast United FC 0-2 Odisha FC: Highlanders outdone by Cabrera’s magic

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NorthEast United FC fell once more as Odisha FC cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win at the Fatorda on Tuesday. After a week in quarantine, Odisha had no time to train and went into the match with no prior preparations. There was also a change in the manager’s seat as Kino Garcia replaced Kiko Ramirez as head coach.

Meanwhile, NorthEast United FC continued their underwhelming run of form with another defeat. They have now picked up only 2 points from their last 5 matches. A poor run places them 10th in the league table and 4 points apart from the 9th placed FC Goa.

Northeast United FC 0-2 Odisha FC: The Game

Javi Hernandez and Aridai Cabrera partnering up from the first minute proved to be highly problematic for NorthEast. The duo dominated in midfield and combined to attack on the counter. The Highlanders, however, managed to hold them back for the opening few minutes.

It was Daniel Lalhlimpuia though, who broke the deadlock to give Odisha a deserved lead in the 18th minute. Aridai Cabrera was in the mood today and was too much for NorthEast to handle. A brilliant piece of footwork unlocked the entire defense and found Lalhlimpuia at the far post unmarked. The latter then made no mistake to grab his first of the season.

Odisha extended their lead just 4 minutes later. A neat pass from Javi Hernandez found Aridai in the box. The winger finished off the move with a tidy take to put Odisha into a commanding lead. A minute later NorthEast came close to pulling one back through Suhair VP. However, the man in form missed the target and wasted a good opportunity. The first half ended with Odisha 2-0 ahead.

Second Half :

NorthEast United FC started the second half with proper attacking intent. They almost pulled one back in the 50th minute through Santana. The center back smashed a volley at goal, but the ball hit the top of the bar and went out of play. M. Irshad only found the side netting in the next few minutes.

It was a frustrating day for the Highlanders as they got outdone by the brilliance of Cabrera and company. A poor attacking display disallowed them from breaching the Kalinga Warrior’s defense. At the other end, it was an impressive performance from Odisha that separated both teams after 90 minutes.

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