Bhubaneswar: Odisha FC and Odisha Sports bowed out of the Indian Women’s League but not before giving a tough fight.
Both teams scored first against their respective opponents, only to come up short on penalties in the tie-breaks.
Odisha FC gave defending champions Gokulam FC a real run for their money. Captain N Bala Devi gave OFC the lead within two minutes of kick-off, heading in an Anju Tamang corner kick.
Gokulam pressed for the equaliser and ultimately got it deep into first-half injury time. Dangmei Grace’s attempt was blocked by OFC defence, but the following a melee, Asem Roja Devi picked up a loose ball and pushed it beyond goalkeeper Shreya Hooda.
Soon after change of ends, it was advantage Odisha FC as Gokulam were reduced to 10 players as Ranjana Chanu picked up a second yellow card for rough challenge.
Despite the one-woman disadvantage, though, Gokulam refused to throw in the towel and came close to taking the lead.
Odisha FC, too, pressed for the winning goal but Ghanaian Beatrice Ntiwaa Nketia stood tall under the bar. With the decisive goal remaining elusive, the game went to penalties, and Beatrice saved all three spot kicks from Odisha’s Anju, Bala Devi and Pyari Xaxa.
Gokulam scored all three to run out 3-0 victors in the tie-break.
In the Sports Odisha versus Eastern Sporting Union clash, neither team could score in the opening 45 minutes. Second-half substitute Lhingdeikim scored midway through the second session to hand Sports Odisha the lead.
Manisha Naik produced a moment of brilliance in the 80th minute to level scores for former champions Eastern Sporting.
In the penalty shootout, Eastern Sporting won 4-2.
In the other quarterfinals, Kickstart FC edged out HOPS FC 2-1 while Sethu (Madurai) thrashed East Bengal 9-0.
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