Kokrajhar (Assam) [India], August 6 (ANI): Bodoland FC registered their first win of the Durand Cup, getting the better of Odisha FC (OFC) 2-0 in a Group E clash here at the SAI stadium.
The goals came in the final minutes of the first and the second half from forwards Dilliram Sanyasi and Arjun Mardi, as Bodoland kept themselves alive in the tournament after their first game reverse against NorthEast United FC.
The home side’s coach Khlain Syiemlieh made three changes in three different positions including his goalkeeper from their first outing against the NorthEast, while Odisha gaffer Amit Rana also made a couple of changes from the eleven that started against the BSF.
The game appeared to be meandering under heavy underfoot conditions after kick-off, with no team getting a clear sight of the goal. The first caution of the game came just over the half-hour mark when Bodoland defender Lyngkhoi was booked for a tackle from behind.
Syiemlieh then made a tactical change bringing in Jwngbla Brahma in place of his Ghanian striker Bejamin Techie at the 40-minute mark. The move worked as the goal came soon after.
Joe Aidoo floated a ball on the turn into the Odisha box from the left of midfield, only for Singson to head his attempted clearance onto the feet of Dilliram Sanyasi lurking on the far post. The forward made no mistake with his finish, placing it neatly past Niraj Kumar in the Odisha goal.
Bodoland remained the more enterprising in the second half and Brahma’s shot in the 48th minute was dipping in only for Niraj to tip it over. Two minutes later the Juggernauts got a golden opportunity themselves when Aphaoba laid it off after a penetrating run inside the box for Pungte Lapung, but the midfielder who had scored in this fixture in the last edition, found his shot blocked by defending Bodoland bodies at the right moment.
Syiemlieh kept ringing in the changes in search of the second goal and it came finally as late as in the 88th minute when two of his substitutes combined delightfully.
Momocha Singh who had started in the first game, delivered a delectable cross from the right wing taking out the entire Juggernaut’s defence. Arjun Mardi still had a lot to do but connected and directed his header perfectly back past Niraj and into the back of the Odisha net for the second time in the game. (ANI)
