Match 64 of Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2020-21 witnessed Hyderabad FC and Odisha FC play out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Fatorda Stadium on Tuesday. Halicharan Narzary scored in the first half for Hyderabad and Cole Alexander netted the equaliser in the second.

• Halicharan Narzary broke the deadlock for Hyderabad in the 13th minute.
• Cole Alexander restored parity for Odisha six minutes into the second half.

Odisha started the game positively and had the first shot of the game in the 3rd minute when Diego Mauricio played a neat one-two inside the opposition box on the left before shooting on target from an acute angle.

Hyderabad received some encouragement in the 11th minute after an Asish Rai pass into the box from the right was mishandled by Arshdeep, who spilled the ball while attempting to catch the cross. The ball sat up nicely for Narzary but the Indian winger’s attempt was blocked by Odisha.

Manuel Marquez’s men took the lead two minutes later when a headed flick on released Liston Colaco on the right. The pacey Indian attacker rapidly made his way into the box before squaring the ball for Narzary, who opened up his body and calmly slotted it into the back of the net.

Aridane Santana then registered his first shot of the match in the 23rd minute after Rai did brilliantly on the right to get past his man and whip in a cross for the Spaniard to volley on target. Odisha responded by going up the other end and creating a chance. Mauricio was involved again, and it was his chip from the left into the box that Daniel Lalhlimpuia controlled before getting his shot away.

Hyderabad could have doubled their lead in the 38th minute after more good passing by their front men. This time it was Santana’s pass that found Narzary with time and space near the edge of the box. The Indian winger cut back onto his right foot and created a yard to get his shot away, which rattled the post.

Narzary had another opportunity to extend their lead in the 42nd minute after a perfectly weighed diagonal ball found the Indian winger with space on the left. He fired a powerful effort on goal but Arshdeep made the save for Odisha on this occasion.

Arshdeep was forced into action again soon after thanks to Colaco, who fired a powerful freekick from range on goal that had to be dealt with by the Indian goalkeeper as Hyderabad went into the break with just a one-goal advantage.

It took Odisha just six minutes of the second half to score the equaliser. Mauricio showed his strength by controlling a ball from a throw-in and keeping it from the defender before passing it to Alexander, who produced a clinical finish into the bottom corner from distance to make it all square.

Both sides went in search of a winner and looked to play on the front foot but creating clear-cut chances were proving to be more difficult to come by than in the first half. Odisha came agonizingly close to going in front in the 74th minute after more delightful work by Mauricio, who skipped past a defender in the box to go to the byline and chip the goalkeeper. The Brazilian’s effort was goal-bound but a goal-line by Akash Mishra kept the match level.

Hyderabad tried to respond through Hitesh Sharma, who ran on to a Colaco pass on the edge of the penalty area and blazed his effort over the crossbar. Santana also came close to scoring for Hyderabad in the 86th but his header from a corner went fractions wide of the target.

It was all hands on deck for Hyderabad in the closing stages of the contest as a Nandhakumar Sekar shot needed to be cleared off the line by Mishra again. The teams did their best to get a winner in injury time but both sides defended resolutely as the match ended in a draw.

Hero of the Match – Cole Alexander

Cole Alexander had another solid display in the heart of midfield for Odisha. He was involved in both ends of the pitch, making a successful tackle, two successful interceptions and three blocks, besides also creating a chance and getting the all-important goal for his side.

Other Match Awards

Club Award – Hyderabad FC and Odisha FC

DHL Winning Pass of the Match – Liston Colaco (Hyderabad FC)

Watch the Match Highlights here: