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MIZORAM ROUT HAPLESS ODISHA 5-0
22 Mar 2018
AIFF Media Team KOLKATA: Mizoram rout a hapless Odisha side 5-0 in their second match of the Santosh Trophy 2017-18 final round at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium, Kolkata on Thursday. Midfielder Lalromawia scored yet another brace to guide his team to glory. The other goals were netted by Lalbiakhlua, Malsawmdawngliana and F. Lalrinpuia. Odisha got the first goal scoring chance of the match in the 4th minute when skipper Arjun Nayak attempted a header from Karthikach Bhola’s corner. Unfortunately, the ball struck the crossbar and came back. The phase between 20-25 minutes saw Mizoram squandering five genuine goal scoring opportunities. Lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, they constantly maintained the pressure inside the Odisha penalty box. In the 34th minute, Zomuanpuia C found the back of the net but to his disappointment, the linesman awarded Odisha a free-kick as he handled the ball before scoring the goal. The deadlock finally broke in the 37th minute when Zomuanpuia headed the ball into the net from Lalrinpuia’s cross from the left. Lalromawia increased the lead in the 41st minute after following a wonderful through ball down the middle from Lalnun Tluanga and comfortably slotted the ball home. The sides went into the break with the scoreboard flashing 2-0 in favour of Mizoram. Lalsangzuala’s men started the second half with greater intensity and looked hungry for more goals. They were often seen changing their shape from 4-3-3 to 4-2-4 with Lalromawia moving further up in the attacking third. Mizoram’s attacking mindset yielded them their third goal of the match. Lalromawia scored yet again to get his brace from Lalbiakhlua’s cross in the 59th minute. Their lead further increased in the 73rd minute when Odisha’s goalkeeper Ejazuddin Khan made a blunder in front of the goal by coming out of his line. Malsawmdawngliana kept his composure and pushed the ball into an empty net. Rybolovlev has decided to offer €250k to rebuild the Saint-Martin-Vésubie stadium Mizoram hit the final nail in Odisha’s coffin in the 91stminute thanks to a strike from F. Lalrinpuia. They could have easily won this match by a bigger margin had their strikers been a little more clinical in front of the goal. Overall it was a shambolic performance from Odisha today. Mizoram next face Punjab on 24th March, Saturday at Howrah Stadium and Odisha meet Karnataka on the same day at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium.
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