The first knockout of Indian Super League Playoffs lived up to its billing as an extra-time winner from Isak Vanlalruatfela on Friday earned Odisha FC a place in the two-legged semifinal against Mohun Bagan Super Giants. In a show of grit in Bhubaneswar, Sergio Lobera’s hosts held on against a more impressive Kerala Blasters to claim the playoff clash 2-1 to the joy of the home crowd at Kalinga Stadium after the tie ended 1-1 in regulation time.

Both teams began with earnestness for the spot in the semifinal against the Shield champions. But the defenders, on both sides, looked to have brought a little more of it on the pitch as they denied attacks to be reflected on the scoreline.

While Odisha ended up with better possession in the first half, the only shot on goal came from Blasters’ Hormipam Ruivah in the 22nd minute when he headed a superb cross from Freddy Lallawmawma straight into the hands of Amrinder Singh in Odisha goal.

Odisha once again relied on their talisman Ahmed Jahouh to keep creating moves from deep but all those attacks were foiled by the Marko Leskovic and Milos Drincic-led Kerala defence inside the D. The story was being played in the same vein at the other end too, with both teams missing that final touch or shot in the final third in search of a breakthrough.

The highlight of the opening 45 minutes was the drama that followed Mourtada Fall sending in the ball with a casual back heel on connecting with a Jahouh cross from the left of the box. While it was first given a goal by the referee, after consultation with the linesman and vehement protests from Blasters, the decision was overturned with Jahouh and Fall both found to be offside.

Despite some desperate attempts from both teams to change the scoreline, they left the field for the break with the first knockout of the playoff stage goalless.

Jahouh kept sending in measured crosses into the centre and the flank after the change of ends as Amey Ranawade and Jerry Mawihmingthanga kept attempting to make a goal out of them. But Blasters soon took charge of the game with a barrage of attacks near the Odisha goal.

Mohammed Aimen and Saurav Mandal displayed the youthful vigour that Ivan Vukomanovic’s team rode this season but it was Fedor Cernych who broke the deadlock in the 67th minute. Aimen sent a pass to the Lithuanian after a delicate first touch as Cernych made no mistake in finding the corner of the net to the right of Amrinder.

It was a well-deserved goal for the visitors but they could only maintain the lead for 20 minutes.

With Blasters’ injured custodian Lara Sharma taken off field in a stretcher and replaced by Karanjit Sharma, Odisha took advantage of the lapse in focus of the opposition defence as Diego Mauricio scored his 11th goal of the season. He turned in a delectable cross from the right from current top scorer Roy Krishna and brought the home team back in the game and took it into extra time.

And it was a replay of the equaliser in the seventh minute of extra time with Jahouh, once again, the conductor of the move. The Moroccan sent an inch-perfect long ball to Krishna on the right of the box and Isak only had to tap it in past Karanjit to break Blasters’ hearts.

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