East Bengal and Odisha FC played out a goalless draw in the 2023-24 Indian Super League at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) in Kolkata on Friday.
The opening minutes of the match saw ping-pong football as either side found it hard to control possession of the ball. High clearances and harsh challenges flowed.
Eventually, Odisha managed to get a hold of the ball. In the ninth minute, a few quick one-touch passes found Puitea, who played it first time. East Bengal’s Lalchungnunga stepped out to clear but Isak Vanlalruatfela’s closing down meant the ball ricocheted off him and fell nicely in his path. A soft outside the foot stab at the ball though was rather easy for Prabhsukhan Gill.
East Bengal were patient and played long searching balls to break the monotony of constant Odisha pressure. In the 16th minute, a long ball out from defence, as Cleiton Silva pounced but his shot was hurried in the end, which bounced wide harmlessly.
Odisha came close in the 25th minute when Roy Krishna’s glanced header, from a Amey Ranawade pin-point cross but his effort managed to ruffle only the outside of the net. In the 27th minute, East Bengal’s Nandhakumar went on a meandering run down the right wing as a poked shot at the near post almost surprised Amrinder Singh.
Back-to-back changes were followed by end-to-end attacks and counters, only to be stopped by the water break.
Then it was mostly Odisha FC dominating attacks with East Bengal relying on counters, which were confidently stopped by the visiting defence. Long shots from the ‘Red and Gold’ brigade did not do much to disturb the score line as Odisha FC pushed men forward looking for the first goal. The referee signalled the end of the half goalless.
After the restart, the pattern of play remained very much the same. Odisha controlling possession and East Bengal counting on counters.
Both managers seemingly asked their defences to step up and hold a relatively higher line as the mid-field became congested. The result was a flurry of long shots that were harmless.
Just over the hour mark, Puitea found Krishna on the left of the penalty box. He turned his man and sent in a fizzing cross across the face of the goal with Jerry Mawihmingthanga sliding in milliseconds late. Prabhsukhan’s goal remained undisturbed.
The tackles and challenges started to pile up as players looked desperate to break the deadlock.
In the 80th minute, East Bengal started pushing back. Substitute PV Vishnu’s powerful run and Cleiton’s towering header came close.
In the last few minutes, the game opened up, turning into an end-to-end affair again.
In the 89th minute, Javi Siverio’s volley from the edge of the penalty box of a corner bounded off Puitea’s head and onto Mourtada Fall’s hand. The referee waved play on only to brandish a couple of yellow cards as players swarmed him in protest.
Again in the added minute after 90, Jerry Lalrinzuala pulled down Vishnu with a tug of the shirt and that too inside the penalty box. The referee played play on yet again.
The frantic attack to close out the game did not yield East Bengal a goal as both teams split points in the end.
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