ISL 2019–20 ODS vs ATK Result: Odisha FC, ATK Play-Out Barren Stalemate

ATK, Odisa FC played a dull goalless draw in the latter’s home debut at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune. The goalless draw was ATK's first in 2019-20 Indian Super League (ISL) and also put an end to their three-match winning-run, while Odisha have now played consecutive stalemates in their last two ISL matches. But despite the barren draw, ATKremained on top of the ISL points table while Odisha with one point too kept their sixth position in the team standings. It was more of a start-stop game with technical fouls preventing any team to launch a full-throttle attack. At the end of 90 minutes both teams had combined for 23 fouls but surprisingly had only three bookings. Odisha vs ATK, ISL Match Highlights.

ATK initially started well with the pair of Roy Krishna and David Williams combining well to cut open the home team on a number of occasions. Roy Krishna, who scored twice in ATK's thrashing win over Jamshedpur before the international break, was the catalyst in creating the opening chances for the home team. Krishna found Michael Soosairaj twice on the left flank in the opening three minutes but both times it resulted in a corner.

ATK Wait for a First Win AT Pune

But against the run of play, it was Odisha, who nearly went ahead in the 17th minute when Daniel Lalhlimpuia fought his way into the ATK box but his shot, after he had beaten three defenders on his way, was lame and failed to trouble Arindam Bhattacharya in goal. ATK's first good opportunity came nine minutes later when a slick one-two between Javi Hernandez and David Williams send the former through on Odisha goal. But Arshdeep Singh came out of his line and made a superb block to deny the Spaniard.

The best chance of the half, however, fell for Krishna when Soosairaj found him unmarked inside the Odisha box with a curling cross six-minutes away from the first whistle. But the India-born Australian failed to trace the ball down resulting in a goal-kick.

Nanda Kumar

With his team failing to create the magic they had shown in the last three matches, coach Antonio Habas hauled off Anas Edathodika and Soosairaj for 20-year-old Sumit Rathi and Jobby Justin. The former was making his ISL debut. It was the latter, however, who could have made a greater impact with his first touch had Nanda Kumar Sekar not made a goal-line clearance. Justin’s header from a Javi Hernandez corner was cleared by the left-wide man with Pritam Kotal keeping his side in the game with a similar tackle inside his own box.

Habas introduced ‘super sub’ Edu Garcia and Odisha coach Josep Gombau replied by bringing in Xisco Hernandez. But failed to add any bright in the lacklustre game as both ATK and Odisha settled for a draw.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 24, 2019 10:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).