Bhubaneswar: A draw would have sufficed for Odisha FC. But as coach Crispin Chhetri had promised a day earlier, his wards went all out to secure victory and clinch the Indian Women’s League (IWL) 2023-24 in style, dethroning Kozhikode-based Gokulam FC.
Up against Kickstart FC in their final match of the league, Odisha FC dominated right through to emerge runaway 6-0 winners. Lynda Kom (11th minute, 66th, 77th) netted a hattrick, Pyari netted a brace (13th, 22nd) and Karthika also scored (58th),
𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐀! 🏆🟣⚫
We are the 🆕 #IWL 2023-24 CHAMPIONS 🥇✨#OdishaFC #OFCW #AmaTeamAmaGame #KalingaWarriors #IWLChampions pic.twitter.com/WsHLIQ6Zeo
— Odisha FC Women (@OdishaFCW) March 24, 2024
Odisha FC finished with 31 points in 12 matches, winning 10, losing 1 and drawing 1. Their only defeat came at the hands of defending champions Gokulam, while their solitary draw was against Kickstart.
Gokulam beat East Bengal 5-1 in their last game but had to settle for second place in IWL 2023-24 with 29 points.
HOW ODISHA FC WOMEN TOPPED IWL 2023-24
* Odisha FC bt Sports Odisha 4-0 on Dec 15, 2023
* Odisha FC bt Gokulam 2-0 on Dec 20, 2023
* Odisha FC bt Sethu 1-0 on Jan 5, 2024
* Odisha FC bt HOPS 1-0 on Jan 10
* Odisha FC bt East Bengal 4-1 on Jan 18
* Odisha FC drew 0-0 vs Kickstart on Jan 24
* Odisha FC bt Sports Odisha 3-1 on Feb 4
* Odisha FC lost to Gokulam 1-2 on Feb 9
* Odisha FC bt Sethu 4-0 on March 2
* Odisha FC bt HOPS 3-0 on March 8
* Odisha FC bt East Bengal 2-0 on March 17
* Odisha FC bt Kickstart 6-0 on March 24.
