On December 26, at the Deccan Arena, West Bengal made a dominating comeback against Odisha, securing a 3-1 win to seal their position in the 78th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2024-25. In the first half, Odisha took an early lead, however, West Bengal equalized before halftime and eventually ended the match in their favor.
In the 25th minute of the quarter-final, Rakesh Oram’s unmarked header from a corner kick gave Odisha the lead. However, in the 45+3rd minute, Madan Mandi sent a long aerial ball into the box, which Narohari Shrestha placed into the net. Despite the equalized scoreline, both teams missed several scoring opportunities in the first half.
West Bengal intensified their attack in the second half, and in the 77th minute, during the final quarter of the game, Narohari headed the ball down to Rabi Hansda. From the right corner of the eighteen-yard box, Rabi Hansda unleashed a stunning shot towards the far post, giving West Bengal the lead over Odisha.
The final goal for West Bengal came in the 90+2nd minute when substitute Manotos Majhi made a long run, forcing the goalkeeper to come off his line. From the corner of the box, Manotos Majhi delivered a brilliant shot into the empty far post, making it 3-1 for Bengal. Just a few minutes later, Odisha created a chance from a corner kick, but Bengal defender Rabilal Mandi made a goal-line clearance to deny them.
With that comeback win, 32-time champions West Bengal secured their place in the ongoing Santosh Trophy campaign. Narohari Shrestha, who made a significant impact throughout the match with a stunning performance, including one goal and one assist, was awarded the Man of the Match.
