Kolkata, Nov. 5 -- Serbian forward Dejan Drazic struck a brace as Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) edged Odisha FC 3-2 in a pulsating Indian Super League (ISL) clash at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Thursday.
Drazic scored in the 47th and 74th minutes while Lee Erwin found the target in the 88th minute to seal all three points for the Mariners.
Mahmoud Eid (51st) and Everton (79th) brought Odisha FC level on two occasions, but the Mariners had the final say in the game.
The win meant Panagiotis Dilmperis' side will go into the international break as league leaders with 12 points from five games. The Mariners began on the front foot, creating their first big chance inside the opening minute when Erwin was found in the box, only for his effort to be pushed away by Hrithik Tiwari.
Odisha responded by breaking on the counter against the hosts' relentless, fast-paced attacks. Tiwari remained steady in goal as Mohun Bagan kept testing him, and the two sides went into the break goal-less. Drazic found the breakthrough in the 47th minute. He danced through the Odisha defenders after Anirudh Thapa played a pinpoint through ball, before calmly finishing with his left foot into the bottom corner, sending the ball past Tiwari.
Odisha equalised within four minutes. Nihal Sudhish delivered a cross in front of Vishal Kaith, and Eid tapped it in to make it 1-1 in the 51st minute.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.