Recap

In an exciting clash at the Kalinga Stadium in the temple city of Bhubaneswar, Kerala Blasters FC and Odisha FC played out a dramatic 2-2 draw. The match began with Kerala Blasters showing early attacking intent, as Danish had a quick opportunity right after kickoff.

The first real chance came from Noah Sadaoui, whose shot earned a corner, but it was cleared by Jaouh. Throughout the match, Noah and Rahul kept delivering crosses to Danish, who found himself in promising positions but couldn’t convert them into goals.

The breakthrough came in the 17th minute when Noah finished off a well-timed assist from Jesus Jimenez, putting Kerala Blasters up 1-0. Just four minutes later, Jimenez found the top corner with a clinical finish, extending the lead to 2-0 and giving the Blasters control in the first quarter of the game.

Odisha FC pulled one back in the 36th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error when Alexandre Coeff, attempting to clear the ball, inadvertently deflected it into his net. The equalizer followed soon after, with Diego Mauricio scoring just before halftime, levelling the score at 2-2.

The second half saw a more physical contest, with both teams creating chances. Jesus Jimenez remained a constant threat for Kerala but couldn’t find the net again. In the 68th minute, coach Mikael Stahre made tactical substitutions, bringing on Mohammed Aimen for Danish, and shortly after, Adrian Luna replaced Coeff. These changes added new dimensions to the attack, with Aimen linking up well with Noah and Luna adding fresh energy.

Despite several near misses, including efforts from Rahul and Noah, neither team could break the deadlock. Odisha’s defence held firm, making crucial saves to deny Kerala a late winner. In the end, both teams settled for a share of the points in an intense contest.

Looking ahead, Kerala Blasters will aim to regroup and prepare for their next fixture against Mohammedan SC on October 20 at Kishore Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata, scheduled for 7:30 PM IST.

Substitutions:

68’ Danish Farooq  Mohammed Aimen

70’ Alexandre Coeff  Adrian Luna

84’ Rahul KP  Mohammed Azhar

84’ Sandeep Singh  Hormipam Ruivah

84’ Jesus Jimenez  Kwame Peprah

Goals:

17’ Noah Sadaoui

21’ Jesus Jimenez