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ATK Mohun Bagan and Odisha FC played out a goalless draw on Sunday in the Indian Super League (ISL) and took home a point each at full-time.
The match was scheduled to happen more than a week back but COVID-19 wreaked havoc in the ATK Mohun Bagan camp. As a result, the match was postponed. The fixture was finally played on Sunday at 9:30 PM.
ATK Mohun Bagan would have been hoping for a better result against Odisha FC, but the Juggernauts defended resiliently to deny the Mariners a win on the night.
After this result, Odisha FC moved to the sixth place on the ISL table with 17 points from 12 matches. ATK Mohun Bagan are one place below them with 16 points, even though they have played only 10 matches.
Let's take a look at the top four things we learned from this match.
#1 Arshdeep Singh rescued Odisha FC
Odisha FC's young custodian Arshdeep Singh put in a heroic shift as his saves proved to be the difference between a loss and a draw for the ISL team.
Singh faced 13 shots, out of which five were on target. He did brilliantly well to save all of them. On some occasions, he was forced to make saves from point blank range.
After losing his place in the XI to experienced Kamaljit Singh, Singh got his chance when the former tested positive for COVID-19. He will now have a chance to retain his place even after Kamaljit returns to the mix.
View the ISL winners list here.
#2 Liston Colaco impressed fans with his performance
Liston Colaco has been a revelation this season for ATK Mohun Bagan. After impressing for Hyderabad FC in the 2020-21 season, the Mariners bagged the young winger on a hefty fee this term.
Colaco has repaid the trust, scoring five goals and assisting one more in 10 matches. He is also the highest goalscorer amongst Indian players this season.
Against Odisha FC, the 23-year old was unable to get any goal contributions to his name. However, his lively performance on the pitch was seen by all. He attempted a couple of long rangers which missed the goal by a whisker.. He was also involved in creating chances for his teammates to score.
ATK Mohun Bagan will be counting on Colaco to play an important role in bringing their campaign back on track.
#3 Odisha FC missed their foreign strikers
Like many others teams in the ISL, Odisha FC too faced the repurcussions of COVID-19 cases in their camp. Newly appointed head coach Kino Garcia is in quarantine and has not been able to take charge of the team.
Odisha FC's striker Jonathas de Jesus tested positive for the virus and could not be a part of the match today. Adding to that, Aridai Cabrera suffered an injury which sidelined him from the match. Needless to say, the Juggernauts missed both of them dearly as they failed to score a single goal.
Odisha FC will hope to get back the services of their target men soon and boost their push for the top four.
#4 Resilient defending by Odisha FC
The Odisha FC backline, spearheaded by Victor Mongil and Hector Rodas, did very well to deny the opposition strikers on the night. Victor Mongil, especially, had a match to remember as he proved to be a resilient wall against the Mariners attacks.
In midfield, promising youngster Thoiba Singh Moirangthem performed brilliantly to keep ATK Mohun Bagan in check. He was also presented with the 'Hero of the Match' award for his vital contribution.
Once the attack is bolstered by the addition of Aridai Cabrera and Jonathas, Odisha FC can hope to make a mark in the second leg of the tournament.
