Odisha FC staged a remarkable comeback to defeat a 10-man East Bengal FC 2-1 in an match week 12 encounter of the ISL 2024-25 season at the Salt Lake Stadium on Thursday.
Despite being reduced to 10 players late in the first half, East Bengal showed resilience and took the lead through Lalchungnunga in the 53rd minute. Odisha, however, struck back swiftly, with Jerry Mawihmingthanga equalizing in the 55th minute, and Hugo Boumous scoring the decisive goal in the 81st minute.
The opening half was a balanced affair, with East Bengal creating better chances but struggling to capitalize. Playing without injured key players Dimitrios Diamantakos and Saul Crespo, East Bengal lacked sharpness in front of goal. Attacking players Cleiton Silva and Nandhakumar Sekar failed to convert promising opportunities.
Odisha FC, led by forwards Diego Mauricio and Boumous, faced a strong defensive line from East Bengal, which kept them largely at bay. However, Odisha came close to scoring midway through the half, with attempts from Isak Ralte and Jerry Mawihmingthanga rattling the crossbar.
The match’s turning point came in the 42nd minute when East Bengal midfielder Jeakson Singh was controversially sent off. Referee Tejas Nagvenkar penalized Singh after Odisha forward Diego Mauricio exaggerated contact from Singh’s outstretched hand. Replays indicated the decision was harsh, drawing criticism from East Bengal coach Oscar Bruzon.
“The wrong refereeing decision was one of the reasons behind our defeat,” Bruzon said post-match.
Despite being a man down, East Bengal opened the scoring in the 53rd minute when Lalchungnunga found the net after a well-executed corner. However, their joy was short-lived as Jerry Mawihmingthanga capitalized on a Ralte assist just two minutes later to bring Odisha level.
Odisha continued to push for a winner and found it in the 81st minute. Boumous, receiving the ball in space, unleashed a precise left-footed shot that beat the East Bengal goalkeeper and sealed the victory.
The result lifted Odisha FC to third place in the standings with 19 points from 12 matches, while East Bengal remained in 11th place with just seven points from 10 games.
Result:
East Bengal 1 (Lalchungnunga 53’) lost to Odisha FC 2 (Jerry Mawihmingthanga 55’, Hugo Boumous 81’).
