GKFC 1-3 OFC highlights: Mauricio hat-trick guides Odisha FC to win and spot in AFC Cup group stages

A Diego Mauricio hat-trick leads Odisha FC to a 3-1 win against Gokulam Kerala. The Juggernauts qualify for the group stages of the AFC Cup.

Mauricio takes a shot from a tight angle that is blocked. The ball ends up with Raynier, who takes a shot from distance. It is a low and weak shot, which Shibin gathers comfortably.

Five minutes added at the end of the second-half!!

Noor spots Bouba and picks him wonderfully with a long ball from a Odisha freekick. But, Bouba lacking that extra bit of pace to get to the ball.

IN- Raynier OUT- Nandhakumar

Zaman delivers a good cross inside the Odisha box from a corner. The ball is flicked on to Mendi, who goes for the header. But again, Gokluam’s top-scorer cannot keep his header on target. Odisha FC also played its part in pressurising the forward.

Mendi is the latest player to see the yellow card for dissent. He was not happy with the referee’s decision of awarding Odisha FC with a throw-in and made that very evident from his actions.

Aniket tries to slip a pass to Mauricio, who had made a run inside the box, but he sees the ball intercepted by the Gokulam defence.

Noufal uses his pace to make a run down the left flank. He then, floats a ball with the inside of his foot, inside the Odisha box. Mendi gets at the end of the cross and connects with a solid header but cannot keep his effort on target.

Nandha had the chance to lay off the ball to Aniket, but decides to for the shot himself. He hits a curler but Shibin makes the save.

Gokulam Kerala subs: IN- Noufal Jr, Samuel OUT- Sreekuttan, Hakku

Odisha FC subs: IN- Paul, Aniket OUT- Jerry, Princeton

Sreekuttan makes a surging run and finds Mendi with a good pass. Mendi shoots at goal but Thoiba makes a good block to thwart the danger.

Zaman floats a cross at the fat-post from a corner, but no Gokulam player could get a decent touch on the ball.

Hakku’s shot from the edge of Odisha’s penalty area takes a deflection and goes out for a corner.

Booking: Jerry is a bit too eager to get the ball from Jasim and ends up fouling the Gokulam man. He completely missed the ball with his challenge and is shown a yellow card.

Mendi ghosts past Thoiba and takes a shot at goal. However, the shot is not strong enough to bother Amrinder, who makes a comfortable save.

GOOOALLL!! MAURICIO CONVERTS FROM THE SPOT AND GETS HIS HAT-TRICK!! Odisha gets back its two-goal advantage.

Mauricio is brought down inside the box and the referee points to the spot straight away. Mauricio with a chance to score a hat-trick.

Odisha FC’s combination play has been top-notch this season. This time, Jerry tries to swing a cross inside the box, but it is cleared at the near-post.

Bookings:

Narender gets a yellow card for his challenge on Mendi.

Gokulam coach Bonet has also received a yellow card for protesting from the touchlines.

The initial corner was punched away by Shibin, with the ball falling to Victor. His first-touch is great and he dispatches a venomous shot at goal. The ball rattles the post and comes back into play.

OFC half-time subs: IN- Crespo, Dene OUT- Osama, Panwar

Odisha FC starts the second-half with a 2-1 lead against Gokulam Kerala FC.

A Mauricio brace keeps Odisha FC in a 2-1 lead against Gokulam Kerala at the break.

Victor takes the freekick- He hits the target but it is an easy diving save for Shibin.

Three minutes added at the end of the first-half!!

Jerry does well to put his body between the ball and his marker and earns a foul in a dangerous position for Odisha FC.

Sreekuttan sends a cross inside the Odisha box. Zaman is there at the far-post to connect with the header. He tries to head the ball back across the face of goal, but ends up putting the ball out of play.

Sahil Panwar might have tweaked a muscle in a bid to keep the ball in play. Odisha will hope that the playeris okay to continue.

GOOOALLL!! NOOR GETS GOKULAM BACK INTO THE MATCH!! Tahir Zaman sends a wonderful cross from the right flank and Noor is there to head the ball inside the net.

GOOOALL!! MAURICIO GRABS A BRACE TO DOUBLE ODISHA LEAD!! Mauricio is unstoppable right now. He gets the ball from outside the box and bulldozes his way inside. He checks to his right and lashes the ball inside the net, past a helpless Shibin.

Victors goes for directly for goal from the freekick and almost finds the net. He connected well with the shot as the ball dipped and swerved. It hits the crossbar and comes back into play.

Hakku fouls Nandha on the left flank, with the latter’s quick feet proving too much for him. Hakku is already on a booking and is livig life dangerously.

Zaman finds Mendi with a good pass. Mendi, who had already made the run, gets the ball and makes his way into the Odisha box. He shoots from a tight angle but it does not trouble Amrinder. It was a difficult angle and the shot lacked power.

Booking: Bouba is the latest Gokulam player to see a yellow card. Bookings are piling up for Gokulam.

GOOOALL!! MAURCIO SCORES FOR THE JUGGERNAUTS!! It is a wonderful move by Odisha. Nandha shows good awareness to leave the ball for Victor, who finds Mauricio with a sliderule pass. Mauricio, in the form of his life, makes no mistake in tucking the ball inside the net.

Victor threads a wonderful ball to Sahil on the left flank. Sahil makes his way in the final third and tries to cross, but sees it blocked.

Gokulam sub: IN- Zaman OUT- Sourav

The player cannot continue due to injury

Victor, who had support around him, chose the difficult route in trying to find Mauricio in the box with a dink. He ends up conceding possession.

Victor creates a yard for himself and sends a low cross inside the Gokulam box. Mendi is there to make the clearance.

Mauricio does well to skip past Haku initially, but the latter stops Mauricio by pulling his jersey. That is one way to stop the danger man.

Odisha has done all the attacking till now. The confidence is visible in the Super Cup champion.

Booking: Vikas of Gokulam Kerala sees a yellow card for his reckless challenge on Nandha.

A nice of exchange between Sahil and Nandha on the left flank as they looked to open up the Gokulam defence. But, the home team recovers well and regains possession.

A positive start for Odisha FC, as the Juggernauts get a couple of early corners. They cannot make anything of them. Gokulam’s defence looking calm and composed in the opening minutes.

The AFC Cup qualifier between Gokulam Kerala and Odisha FC is underway at the EMS Stadium in Kozhikode, Kerala.

Gokulam Kerala FC and Odisha FC will be playing each other for the first time in their history.

Gokulam Kerala: Shibin(GK), Vikas, Pawan, Bouba(c), Jasim, Hakku, Shilton, Sourav, Sreekuttan, Noor, Mendi.

Odisha FC: Amrinder(GK), Sahil, Carlos(c), Osama, Gahlot, Princton, Thoiba, Nandha, Victor, Jerry, Mauricio.

The stage is set for an enthralling one-off fixture between Odisha FC and Gokulam Kerala FC at the EMS Corporation Stadium in Kozhikode today at 7 PM.

This is a one-off match, to be played between the champions of I-League 21-22 (Gokulam Kerala FC) and the winner of the 2023 Super Cup (Odisha FC).

The winner of this match will earn the coveted spot to represent India in the AFC Cup 2023-24 group stages, giving them a chance to compete on the continental stage.

“We came here with an objective that kept improving every day. We went from match to match and we won the Super Cup. But that is in the past,” said Clifford Miranda, the head coach of Odisha.

“We will play our strongest eleven. It (the play-off) will be a different game and we will start from zero minutes again. The past will not help us and we will have to continue working the same way as we have been doing so far (this season).”

Gokulam, playing at its home ground, is a force to be reckoned with and will face tough competition from Odisha FC which has not lost a single match under the new head coach, Clifford Miranda, who became the first Indian coach to win the Super Cup.

Predicted XI

Gokulam Kerala: Shibin Raj Kunniyil (GK); Mohammd Jasim, Pawan Kumar, Aminou Bouba, Vikas Saini; Shilton D’Silva, Farshad Noor, Omar Ramos; Sreekuttan VS, Samuel Mensah Kooney, Sourav K.

Odisha FC: Amrinder Singh (GK); Narender Gahlot, Osama Malik, Carlos Delgado, Sahil Panwar; Thoiba Singh, Princeton Rebello; Jerry Mawihmingthanga, Victor Rodriguez, Nandhakumar Sekar; Diego Mauricio.