Odisha FC began their Indian Women’s League campaign with a resounding 4-0 win against Sports Odisha at the Capital Football Arena in Bhubaneswar on Friday.
Win Theingi Tun, Odisha FC’s recruit from Myanmar, netted two second-half goals to put the match beyond all doubt, after captain Manisa Panna put them in the lead through a first-half header.
It was a dominant show by the Juggernauts from the start, as they looked to penetrate the Sports Odisha goal. They got an early lead for their efforts when Panna leapt high above the rest to nod in a Karthika Angamuthu corner in the ninth minute.
They could have doubled their lead a few minutes later when Susmita Tanty’s handball inside the box resulted in Pyari Xaxa standing over a spot-kick just five minutes after Panna’s goal. The striker went for the bottom corner, but her effort went wide past the upright.
Odisha FC maintained the pressure on their local rivals in search of a comfortable lead, and their persistence finally paid off in the second half, when a few minutes of brilliance from Tun gave the Juggernauts what they were looking for.
A little over 10 minutes after the restart, Tun nodded in a corner by Jasoda Munda to double her side’s lead, and a minute later was played through behind the Sports Odisha defence again by Munda, as the Myanmar international laced it home, past the near post.
The Juggernauts loosened their grip on the match in the last 10 minutes, as Sports Odisha looked to salvage a goal and some pride. Those efforts had exactly the opposite effect, however, as Malati Munda scampered upfield on a counterattack, and sent a miscued cross from the left, which looped over the keeper, and into the net.
This win puts Odisha on level terms with Kickstart FC and East Bengal FC, all of whom have three points from one match, and are a point behind provisional table toppers Gokulam Kerala FC. Sports Odisha, on the other hand, moved to bottom of the table, having conceded six goals in their two defeats so far.