Earlier this week, Diego Mauricio scored a brace that gave Odisha FC the Super Cup on the EMS Stadium in Kozhikode. He did even higher on Saturday night time, bagging a hat-trick towards Gokulam Kerala to steer the Juggernauts to the group stage of the AFC Cup.
Riding on the Brazilian’s hat-trick, Clifford Miranda’s boys received the qualifier 3-1 towards the I-League facet taking part in at house.
The Gokulam defence began on the unsuitable foot, with three of its defenders accumulating yellow playing cards inside the primary 20 minutes. By then, Gokulam had already been a purpose down. Sahil Panwar’s throw-in from the left discovered Victor Rodriguez, whose deft go contained in the field was completed exactly by Mauricio.
Thirteen minutes later, he doubled the lead for Odisha, as he reduce into the field from the fitting, after receiving an extended ball, turned the Gokulam defenders into spectators and beat goalkeeper Ok. Shibin Raj with a robust strike.
The house staff, nonetheless, diminished the deficit inside three minutes, as Farshad Noor met Thahir Zaman’s good cross from the fitting with an excellent header. The rating stayed 2-1 at half-time.
But eight minutes into the second half, Mauricio was introduced down contained in the field by Pawan Kumar Drall. Mauricio accomplished his well-earned hat-trick from the penalty spot, sending Odisha to Asia.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com