Kochi: In a nail-biting encounter at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kerala Blasters FC clinched a 3-2 victory over Odisha FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25. The Monday night thriller was decided by Noah Sadaoui’s dramatic injury-time strike, extending Kerala’s unbeaten streak in matches where the forward has scored. Meanwhile, Odisha FC’s struggles continued, marking their fourth consecutive match without a win.
The action began early, with Odisha FC’s Jerry Mawihmingthanga scoring in the fourth minute. Assisted by Dori, Jerry showcased excellent control, firing a high-footed shot into the bottom right corner. Despite Kerala’s efforts, Odisha’s defence held firm, notably denying Kwame Peprah’s close-range shot in the 36th minute following a delivery from Noah Sadaoui.
The second half saw Kerala equalise in the 60th minute. Korou Singh’s perfectly timed through ball set up Kwame Peprah, who outpaced defenders Mourtada Fall and Rohit Kumar to find the bottom left corner of the net.
Kerala Blasters took the lead in the 73rd minute through a brilliant team effort. Adrian Luna’s cross was headed by Noah to Jesus Jimenez, whose powerful finish gave the hosts a 2-1 advantage. Odisha fought back in the 80th minute, with Dori scoring from a double rebound after a free-kick by Diego Mauricio tested Kerala’s goalkeeper, Sachin Suresh.
The momentum shifted when Odisha’s Carlos Delgado was sent off in the 83rd minute for a second yellow card. Kerala capitalised on their numerical advantage, and Noah Sadaoui emerged as the hero in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Receiving a pass from Vibin Mohanan, Noah fired a sharp-angle shot that deflected into the bottom right corner, sealing the win.
Kerala Blasters, currently eighth with 20 points from 16 games, will face NorthEast United FC on January 18. Odisha FC will next take on Bengaluru FC on January 22.
