Ali Thameem
Odi Sports Club has defeated TC Sports Club 3-0 in this evening’s game of Dhivehi Premier League, finishing the first half of their debut DPL season in second place.
Played under heavy rainfall and on a mud-stained pitch at Galolhu Stadium, this was TC Sports Club’s very first game under newly appointed head coach Mohamed Athif, who had previously guided Odi to promotion to the first division.
Odi Sports Club’s first goal came from a brilliant assist from Ahmed Aiham (Aihu), who has been playing as a de facto right back for Odi. Aiham’s overlapping run on the right flank was met with a through ball, which he cut inside for Karolis Laukzemis to find the net from close range.
With this evening’s goal, the Lithuanian midfielder of Odi is now the joint-third top scorer in the league, tied with Naiz Hassan of Maziya with six goals each. As of mid-season, only Ali Fasir of New Radiant Sports Club (8) and Sergio Iglesias of Maziya (9) have scored more goals than Karolis.
Odi struck a second goal before half-time; Muzdhaan Hassan managed to dodge TC’s offside trap and find the through ball from Ibrahim Waheed Hassan, then fired into the near post from the left-hand side of the area.
The second half kicked off inside a heavy downpour, which continued for another fifteen minutes. Odi’s third goal was scored after the rain had thinned down. After recovering possession at the half-way line, Odi built up the attack from the left flank. A long cross by Muzdhaan from the left corner of the box found an unmarked Ahuzam Rasheed on the far post, who fired it home to make it 3-0.
While Odi celebrated their seventh win in nine games – five of which were clean sheets – it was a bittersweet victory for the newly promoted side, as their captain Mohamed Rasheed (Hockey) suffered a serious injury in the second half. The game was then halted while Rasheed was given first-aid treatment by a team of medics, before being stretchered off the pitch and sent to the hospital.
The final whistle blew after sunset, after the stoppage time extended the play into the 103rd minute.
