BAMBOLIM, Feb 1: Jamshedpur FC climbed two spots in the 2020-21 Hero ISL standings after a 1-0 win over Odisha FC at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim on Monday. Mohammad Mobashir scored the only goal of the game for Jamshedpur in the 41st minute.
Jamshedpur had the first opportunity of the game in the 6th minute when Seiminlen Doungel won possession near Odisha’s penalty area before entering the box with it and getting a shot away that required the goalkeeper’s intervention. Nerijus Valskis was the next Jamshedpur player to test Arshdeep Singh in goal 10 minutes later after cutting in from the right and forcing the Odisha custodian into a save.
At the other end, Jamshedpur’s shot-stopper TP Rehenesh was having a fairly quiet game up until the 24th minute when he first punched a dangerous cross to safety and then was involved in a chaotic goal-mouth scramble that was eventually cleared for a corner. One of the biggest chances of the first half though came in the 33rd minute after a Doungel cutback from the right was perfectly weighed for Farukh Choudhary, who blazed his attempt over the crossbar.
Owen Coyle’s men were finally rewarded for their persistence in the 41st minute after a Mobashir cross led to a goal. The Indian midfielder was looking to find Valskis with his cross from deep, but it ended up going straight into the back of the net instead after both the Lithuanian and Arshdeep failed to get a touch on the ball. Jamshedpur maintained the pressure on Odisha after going in front and went in for the halftime break with a deserved 1-0 lead.
Stuart Baxter’s men eventually got going with around about 20 minutes of regulation time to play in the second half. After Diego Mauricio saw his shot from a cross off the right blocked, the Brazilian went on to play Paul Ramfangzauva in on goal only for the 21-year-old Indian to drag his attempt wide of the target.
The Bhubaneswar-based club continued to fight for a way back into the game, but their attacks seemed to break down every time they got near Jamshedpur’s box. The better chances continued to fall Jamshedpur’s way and they missed those opportunities. (ISL)
