Indian Army FT secure narrow victory against youthful Odisha FC side | 2023 Durand Cup
The Indian Army Football team started their 2023 Durand Cup campaign with a slender 1-0 win over ISL side Odisha FC on Monday. Liton Shil's first-half goal secured all three points for the Army side against a young Odisha team.
In the initial stages, the Indian Army team displayed their dominance and experience with the ball. They were offered plenty of space in midfield, with attacking midfielder Christopher Kamei having the first clear-cut chance of the game. But his low-driven shot was saved by goalkeeper Niraj Kumar.
Indian Army continued their aggressive approach in and out of possession, but Juggernauts’ solid defense restricted their efforts.
On the other hand, Odisha FC capitalized on a few counterattacks, with Aphaoba Singh coming close to scoring when Army’s goalkeeper scuffed his clearance. However, his attempt to find the empty net was cleared off the line by the Army defense.
Odisha FC, meanwhile, made defensive mistakes that certainly did not benefit their cause. But despite struggling to retain possession, their defense held firm, conceding only long-range shots in the opening quarter of the game.
Their resilience, however, was broken in the 42nd minute, and this time, the Army caught their opponents on the break. A brilliant through ball from midfield found its way to Liton Shil, who showcased his blistering pace to beat the defenders before calmly slotting the ball past the Odisha goalkeeper.
An enthralling and competitive match between @OdishaFC & Indian Army Football Team. Liton's goal takes IAFT to 1-0 lead.
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The first half ended with Indian Army taking a deserving 1-0 lead. Their dominance was evident, as they registered four shots on target while Odisha had none.
Indian Army FT hold onto their lead despite a late surge from Odisha FC
The Indian Army carried their momentum from the first half into the second as they continued exploiting the spaces in midfield.
Their proficiency in counter-attacks almost resulted in doubling their lead in the 55th minute. Rahul's display of quality led to a setup for Deepak Singh, but unfortunately, the winger's attempt missed the target as Odisha FC breathed a sigh of relief.
The Juggernats’ head coach Amit Rana was certainly not satisfied with the performance and made three substitutions around the hour mark. The move proved fruitful as Odisha FC started to gain momentum and pinned back the Army side in pursuit of an equalizer.
A twist in the tale unfolded when the referee issued a red card to the goalscorer, Liton Shil. The forward's lunging two-footed challenge provided Odisha FC with an opportunity to regain control of the game, with fifteen minutes of regulation time left.
They soon registered their first shot on target, but Pungte Lapung's attempt from a tight angle was superbly parried away by Indian Army's goalkeeper, Bhabindra.
Despite Odisha’s attempts, the Indian Army FT were able to shore up their defense and secured the all-important three points in their opening encounter.