Punjab FC beat Odisha FC 2-1 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Friday to clinch their second successive win in the Indian Super League 2024-25. The North Indian side are now unbeaten in their last eight games - when they have taken the lead first, winning six and drawing two of them.
A 27th minute strike by the 23-year-old Nihal Sudeesh and a late goal by Leon Augustine proved sufficient to grab the home side, who played the same starting 11 last week. Odisha FC have a lot of work to do to get through the back to back defeats this season.
Punjab FC controlled the game, creating multiple opportunities courtesy of their frontline comprising Nihal, Filip Mrzljak, Mushaga Bakenga, and Ezequiel Vidal breaching the Odisha FC backline and interlinking flawlessly in the final third and continuing to pose a threat to goalkeeper Amrinder Singh.
Punjab FC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis was a relived man as his side took an early lead this time in the contest. It started with Vidal storming ahead on the left flank before chipping in a pass for Mrzljak inside the box. The latter showed great awareness to back-heel the ball in the path of Nihal, who dropped a shoulder, got past Odisha FC full-back Amey Ranawade and sent the ball into the back of the net on the far right corner to get his team a step ahead in the game.
The trio of Nihal, Mrzljak, and Bakenga combined beautifully in the 47th minute as Punjab FC came touchingly close to doubling their lead. Nihal’s lateral pass was received and laid by Mrzljak at the centre for Bakenga on the right. Bakenga had abundant space in front to take a composed shot but his effort didn’t trouble Amrinder much.
The custodian was constantly kept involved in the game, with Tekcham Singh testing him from distance in the 64th minute. The decisive blow was landed by Leon in the 89th minute though, with Ricky Shabong’s piercing through ball slicing past the defensive line to meet the ex-Bengaluru FC player in his path. Leon, 25, did well to deposit the ball into the bottom left corner from the centre of the box to give Punjab FC a two-goal cushion with just minutes of regulation time left.
It proved crucial when OFC’s Ranawade and attacking midfielder Hugo Boumous asserted pressure on the home side’s defence late into the added time of the second half. Boumous’ shot from outside of the box deflected off goalkeeper Ravi Kumar but it proved to be too late to mount a comeback.
