Odisha FC began their new season showcasing the changes they have achieved in the off-season. They defeated Bengaluru FC 3-1 with Javi Hernandez netting a double in his first game.
History Made for Odisha
Odisha had never beaten Bengaluru FC before yesterday. They had also never scored more than one goal against them. But, both those stats were changed last night with a thumping win.
Bengaluru’s Defensive Errors
Shipping five goals over two games, Bengaluru currently have the worst defensive record in the league right now. The first goal in the game was a result of a poor defensive lapse, with Gurpreet Singh completely botching a clearance at the edge of the box.
Javi Hernandez took advantage of the lapse in communication and lobbed the ball over a distance to open the scoring. Alan Costa’s free kick conceded allowed Hernandez to double up, and ultimately led to their loss.
BFC seriously needs to improve their defense if they want to make it to the playoffs at the end of the season.
Time of the Prince?
Moving on from the defense, there were some positives for Bengaluru going forward. Over the last two games, Prince Ibara has seemed like a threat almost every time he is near the box with the ball. Sunil Chhetri has been rather quiet over the initial games, and it seems like the 25-year-old is the new face of the attacking line-up.
Odisha FC – title contenders?
While they are only one game into the new season, Odisha played with great conviction last night. The defensive showing from them was remarkable, and goalkeeper Kamaljeet Singh was very impressive between the sticks.
A good defense is synonymous with titles, and if Odisha can keep this up, we can be certain that they will be somewhere around the top in two months’ time.
