AFC Cup 2023-24: Odisha FC return empty-handed from Australia

Mikael Doka was the best player in this AFC Cup tie.

Australia’s Central Coast Mariners FC have one foot in the next stage of the AFC Cup 2023/24 after they registered a 4-0 win against India’s Odisha FC in the first leg of their Inter-Zone semi-final on Thursday.

After dominating the early proceedings, Mikael Doka found the breakthrough for the hosts in the 36th minute at Central Coast Stadium and Storm Roux doubled their advantage early in the second half.

Doka then scored his second from the penalty spot with a little under 15 minutes to play before providing the assist for Ronald Barcellos’ 89th-minute strike to give Central Coast a commanding lead ahead of next week’s second leg.

The home side almost went straight into the lead as Jing Reec stole the ball from Odisha centre-back Carlos Delgado and raced through on goal, only to be denied by goalkeeper Amrinder Singh. Soon after, it was Angel Torres who went close with a shot that whistled past the post.

While Odisha struggled to get out of their half in the opening minutes, Mariners continued to pile the pressure on the visitors. Mark Jackson’s side went close again in the 12th minute when Roux’s powerful strike from close range hit the underside of the bar and bounced back into play.

Right-back Roux was in the thick of the action and almost saw his cross sneak in at Amrinder’s near post after taking a deflection off Jerry Lalrinzuala in the 20th minute.

But it was from the left wing that the A-League club’s breakthrough finally came in the 36th minute. Jacob Farrell released Joshua Nisbet who made an overlapping run and pulled the ball back for Doka to roll it into the back of the net and give Central Coast a deserved lead.

Sergio Lobera’s Odisha registered their first shot on target three minutes later when Roy Krishna backheeled the ball to Diego Mauricio, whose shot from a tight angle was kept out by Mariners custodian Daniel Vukovic.

Central Coast doubled their lead with a brilliant team goal seven minutes into the second half as Roux got into the box playing one-twos with Doka and then Ryan Edmondson before firing a shot past Amrinder to put the Australian side firmly in the driving seat. 

The hosts did not take their foot off the pedal and the referee pointed to the spot after Farrell drew a foul from Krishna inside the box to allow Doka to step up to score his second and Mariners’ third of the night from the spot in the 77th minute.

The Brazilian then set up substitute Barcellos for Mariners’ fourth goal in the 89th minute as Odisha now have a mountain to climb in the second leg at Kalinga Stadium next Thursday.

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