Heading into the semi-final encounter, Coach Petr Kratky had the luxury of having players returning from international duties at his disposal. Opting to reintegrate Mehtab straight into the lineup, he slotted into the defense alongside Van Nieff. Sanjeev Stalin made his return to the lineup, replacing Jayesh Rane, while the likes of Chhangte, Mishra, Apuia, and Bheke were all available on the bench.
The early moments saw an opportunity for Mumbai City FC as Van Nieff delivered a corner, and Pereyra Diaz's flicked header struck the post before the Odisha defense managed to clear. Shortly thereafter, Ayush Chikkara received the ball just outside the box and narrowly missed the target with his attempt.
Odisha FC tried to create few chances of their own as former Islanders Amey and Cy Goddard combined in the attack, but the latter's shot went off target. Roy Krishna attempted a shot from an awkward angle, which Lachenpa saved comfortably, and Jerry's follow-up from outside the box missed the mark too.
Diego Mauricio tested Mumbai's defense with a low curling shot from the left edge of the box, but a fully stretched Phurba made a diving save, denying Odisha the lead. In the 25th minute, Ralte found space near the box following Gurkirat’s attempt to clear the ball, attempting a long-range shot that soared past the crossbar.
Diaz came close for the Islanders when his shot from the edge of the box forced a fully stretched save from the Odisha goalkeeper, Mawia Ralte, who dove to his left to keep the score level at 0-0. At the other end, Diego advanced into the final third on the right flank, released a low shot towards goal, but Mumbai's skipper Lachenpa was alert enough to collect it.
As the first half approached its conclusion, drama unfolded as Diego won a penalty after Lachenpa brought him down inside the box. Diego took the responsibility himself and struck a powerful shot to the left of Phurba, breaking the deadlock and making it 1-0 in favor of Odisha.
Deep into added time of first half, Van Nieff's delivery found Valpuia, whose header was saved by the Odisha custodian, maintaining the score line at 1-0 in favor of Odisha FC at halftime.
The second half began with Mumbai City FC showing improved performance, actively exploiting spaces on both flanks. Coach Petr Kratky made a tactical substitution, bringing in Rostyn Griffiths to replace Nathan in defence, while Van Nieff shifted into the midfield role.
In the 54th minute, a quick throw-in caught the Odisha defense off guard, allowing Sanjeev Stalin to advance to the edge of the box and unleash a curling effort that forced a diving save by Mawia Ralte. The resulting corner, delivered by Van Nieff, saw Mehtab rising the highest to head it goalwards, but the ball struck the crossbar, much to the disappointment of the Islanders.
Odisha responded with a couple of chances, first with a free-kick at the edge of the box being blocked away by the Islanders' defense. Moments later, a floated delivery by Jahouh found an unmarked Roy Krishna at the far post, but he couldn't keep his first-time shot on target.
As the game entered its final stages of regular time, Coach Kratky introduced Jayesh Rane and El Khayati in search of an equalizer. Diaz drove into the box from the right, shooting from a tight angle, only to be denied by Mawia, the Odisha custodian. On the other end, Odisha earned a couple of corners, but Mumbai's defense held strong.
In the 88th minute, Odisha had two significant chances to double their lead. The first opportunity saw Roy Krishna setting up Isak, whose shot was blocked by Griffiths' foot. Seconds later, another setup by Krishna for Isak resulted in the latter shooting over the bar from close range.
In the 3rd minute of injury time, chaos ensued as the Islanders went down to 8 men. Referee issued a straight red card to Rostyn Griffiths for a foul on Delgado, followed by subsequent cards for Pereyra Diaz and Gurkirat. Gurkirat received his second yellow of the night and was also sent off.
The game eventually concluded with a 1-0 victory in favor of Odisha FC. The Islanders will now shift their focus back to the Indian Super League campaign and prepare for their next game against Jamshedpur FC on February 4 at the Mumbai Football Arena.
