Martin Chaves (24th minute) had handed the visitors the lead but Odisha turned it around in the second half, thanks to goals from Manuel Onwu (46th) and Martin Perez Guedes (72nd).
Odisha FC kept themselves in the hunt for a Hero Indian Super League play-off spot after a come-from-behind 2-1 win over NorthEast United FC at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Friday.
Martin Chaves (24th minute) had handed the visitors the lead but Odisha turned it around in the second half, thanks to goals from Manuel Onwu (46th) and Martin Perez Guedes (72nd).
The win saw Odisha rise to the fifth spot and still with a chance to qualify for the play-offs, while NorthEast United’s poor run of form continued.
Odisha started the game on the front foot with Guedes seeing a shot go wide early in the game. NorthEast started to grow into the game but Odisha carried the bigger threat.
However, against the run of play, NorthEast took the lead in the 24th minute. A quick freekick from Federico Gallego sent Chaves through on goal and the Uruguayan held off Shubham Sarangi and slid a finish past goalkeeper Arshdeep Singh.
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Odisha stepped their game up after that and should have equalized before half-time. Sarangi wasted an opportunity at the far post after the NorthEast defense failed to clear a cross in the 28th minute, while Subhasish was forced to make two good saves from Marcos Tebar and Guedes in quick succession.
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A deserving equalizer came right after the restart. Xisco spread a ball to Nandhakumar Sekar on the wings and his cross was turned in smartly by Onwu. Odisha kept on piling the pressure in search of a winner and got their goal in the 72nd minute. Xisco’s corner was headed on towards the far post by Onwu and Guedes was able to squeeze it in to hand Odisha the lead.
Despite the best efforts of Keogh and Ninthoinganba Meetei, the latter’s sparkling run in the 83rd minute almost forcing a goal, Odisha managed to hold on and notch all three points and keep themselves in the hunt.
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