ISL: Odisha FC Part Ways with Gaurav Bora and Daniel Lalhlimpuia

Odisha FC announced on Thursday that Gaurav Bora and Daniel Lalhlimpuia have left the Indian Super League (ISL) side. Bora made his ISL debut with Odisha FC back in the 2019-20 campaign after signing from Chennai City FC, thereafter being a significant player in the team over the course of time. Daniel Lalhlimpuia, on the other hand, has been a faithful servant of the club since the 2019-20 season after plying trade with two-time ISL champions Chennaiyin FC, and 2018-19 champions Bengaluru FC.

Albeit playing under limited gametime, the 24-year-old managed to scrap a goal and three assists during his time with Odisha FC.

“It was a really good experience for me with everyone here, it was amazing to be a part of this team, to win together and to lose together. I’ve grown a lot in these last three years and thanks to everyone who has been supporting me throughout this,” expressed Bora after having spent considerable time with the Bhubaneswar-based club.

Amassing 41 appearances across the three campaigns with the Juggernauts, Bora is the latest to be added in the list of departing young players groomed by Odisha FC. Highlighting the quality of his game through the ISL, the defender earned a national call-up for the India U-23 team which participated in the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers where he made his debut against the Uzbekistan U-23 side.

Featuring for a total of 843 minutes across 13 matches in the ISL 2021-22 campaign, the youngster made 45 clearances, 25 tackles, 16 blocks, and 12 interceptions, proving his worth as a reliable defender in the backline.

Meritoriously deserving his place in the Odisha set-up, the 23-year-old earned his reputation over the years and built a special place in the hearts of the fans which he hopes continue to support him in his future journey.

“Keep supporting the team, keep supporting me as well wherever I go, and thank you for always believing in me, thank you for always believing in the team, in our hard times as well as in our good times. Thank you for being the backbone. Hopefully, we’ll see each other again someday,” stated Bora in a special message to the fans.

The defender did not fall short of heaping praise on the management and his fellow team members at Odisha FC for his growth and development at the club over the years.

“I would like to thank the management of Odisha FC, the owners, and all my teammates who have been here with me for the past three years,” he added.

The club also confirmed the departures of goalkeeper Ankit Bhuyan, defender Kamalpreet Singh, defender George D’Souza, and midfielder Boaringdao Bodo.