Mumbai: Odisha FC forward Aridane Santana scored a brace to guide his team to a 4-2 win over hosts Mumbai City FC in their maiden Indian Super League (ISL) here Thursday. This is Odisha FC’s first win of the season after they had lost 1-2 to Jamshedpur FC and by an identical margin against NorthEast United FC.
For Odisha FC the goalscorers were Xisco Hernandez (sixth minute), Aridane Santana (21st and 73rd) and Jerry Mawhmingthanga (41st). The visitors dominated from the word go to completely outplay the hosts.
Odisha had an early chance after Santana found Mawhmingthanga on the right flank, who sent a low cross inside the box, but Mumbai’s Mohammed Rafique intercepted and cleared the ball before Nandhakumar Sekar could reach.
The visitors were playing an aggressive game and they reaped dividends in the Xisco Hernandez scored. A thrown in by Jerry was headed-on by Santana in the path of Hernandez, who ran down from the right into the box, cut to his left and netted.
There was no stopping Odisha Fc as Santana doubled their lead off a combined move. Jerry ran into the box on the right side and collected a long through-ball and sent a low cross to Santana, who took a right-footed first-time shot, which stuck into the bottom right-corner. Such was the power of Santana’s shot that Mumbai custodian Amrinder Singh could not even move.
Jerry then put the issue beyond doubt when he made it 3-0 scoring off a delivery by Shubham Sarangi.
Five minutes after the half time, Mumbai reduced the deficit and made it 1-3 after Mohamed Wael Larbi scored from a spot-kick.
In the 73rd minute, Santana’s header sealed the match for the visitors. He headed a pin-point cross from Jerry from six yards out to restore a three goal advantage.
Agencies
