Jamshedpur FC continued their brilliant run in the eighth edition of the Indian Super League as they hammered 10-man Odisha FC 5-1 at GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim to remain atop the league table with 40 points from 19 matches.
Daniel Chima Chukwu (23', 26') opened the floodgates with a brace within the first half an hour. Paul Ramfangzauva (45+1') did pull one back for Kalinga Warriors but after the lemon break it was Jamshedpur all the way as Ritwik Das (54'), Jordan Murray (71') and Ishan Pandita (87') scored one goal each to help Red Miners win their sixth match on the trot
Although Greg Stewart couldn't get his name on the scoresheet, he was once again brilliant on the ball. From hitting the post twice to assists, he was all over the field.
Owen Coyle's men now need just a point in their last game against ATK Mohun Bagan to win the League Shield for the first time.
As for Odisha, it was a disappointing end to their campaign. Although they finished seventh in the league standings, this was their ninth loss of the season and they will have to do a lot to improve their performance next season.
Earlier, Jamshedpur began to dominate the game from the word go and Stewart went close to scoring another screamer from a free-kick from almost 30 yards out in the 23rd minute. Unlike last time the ball didn't smash into back of the net. It hit the crossbar and fell to Chima, who made no mistake of heading it into the net.
Three minutes later Chima again scored as Odisha's defence was caught napping. Despite trailing by two goals, Odisha did pull one back in the injury time of first half. Against the run of play, Odisha made a good run down the left and after JFC defenders failed to clear it, Ramfangzauva slotted the ball into the net. TP Reheneesh got both his hands to it but still couldn't keep it out.
In the second half, Odisha started well but it was Jamshedpur who increased their lead. Stuart played an aerial ball just left of the goal over the heads of the defenders and Ritwik headed down the ball before slotting into the bottom-right corner with ease.
After that Jamshedpur almost toyed with the Odisha defence and Murray scored their fourth in the 71st minute. Odisha's night, meanwhile, continued to grow darker as Jonathas de Jesus was sent off for showing dissent for a second time in the match.
However, JFC weren't in any mood to slow down and it was Pandita who put the final nail in the Odisha coffin with their fifth in the dying minutes of the match.
