Odisha FC fought back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw against Kerala Blasters. It was an exciting Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 match at the Kalinga Stadium. Despite a strong start from the visitors, Odisha showed grit and determination to rescue a point in front of their home crowd.
Kerala Blasters took control early, with Noah Sadaoui opening the scoring in the 18th minute. Three minutes later, Jesus Jimenez doubled their lead, leaving Odisha FC with an uphill task. The Blasters’ quick-fire goals put the game out of reach for the home side, Yete, Odisha responded with tremendous resolve.
Odisha’s comeback began when Kerala’s Alexandre Coeff mistakenly directed the ball into his own net in the 26th minute, giving Odisha a lifeline. The home side capitalized on it, with Brazilian striker Diego Mauricio leveling the score in the 36th minute after a well-placed finish. The score was now 2-2.
The first half was like an action movie with action as both teams created chances. Danish Farooq intercepted a pass from Odisha defender Mourtada Fall and found himself with a clear shot at goal. Yet, Fall recovered quickly to deflect the ball for a corner. Odisha’s Hugo Boumous also set up Diego Mauricio with a golden opportunity inside the six-yard box. However, the Brazilian’s shot went wide, allowing Kerala goalkeeper Sachin Suresh to gather the ball.
The second half saw a tense battle, with both teams pushing for a winner. Controversial moments arose as Odisha’s substitute Rahim Ali appeared to be fouled inside the box, but the referee waved away penalty claims. Similarly, a challenge on Kerala’s Noah Sadaoui went unnoticed, frustrating both sides. The tension spilled over to the touchline. It resulted in yellow cards for both managers, Sergio Lobera of Odisha and Mikael Stahre of Kerala, for their protests.
In the 88th minute, a mistake from Odisha’s Thoiba Singh nearly gifted Kerala a late chance. His short pass back to goalkeeper Amrinder Singh was intercepted by Adrian Luna, but Amrinder’s clearance deflected off the Uruguayan and went out for a goal-kick, keeping the score level.
The draw leaves Kerala Blasters in fourth place in the ISL standings, while Odisha FC moves up to ninth. Both teams will be looking for victories in their upcoming fixtures. Odisha FC will face East Bengal on October 22 at home. Kerala Blasters will travel to Kolkata to take on Mohammedan SC on October 20.
