Sribhumi FC 1 (Queenable Akousa Amankrah 77’)
lost to
Odisha FC 2 (Jennifer Kankam Yeboah 40’, Lynda Kom Serto 81’)
AIFF Media Team
BARRACKPORE: Visiting Odisha FC beat SrIbhumi FC 2-1 in the Indian Women’s League, 2024-25 match at the Bibhutibhushan Stadium on Saturday, February 1, 2025. The winners led 1-0 at half time.
The victory helped the defending champions climb to the second spot in the points table with 10 points from five matches. They are now two points behind leaders East Bengal, who have played a game less than Odisha, but have won all their matches.
Newly-promoted Sribhumi FC are now placed sixth in the eight-team competition with three points from five matches.
While Ghanaian striker Jennifer Kankam Yeboah (40’) and Lynda Kom Serto (81’) scored for the winners, Sribhumi’s Ghanaian recruit, Queenable Akousa Amankrah struck in the 77th minute.
Sribhumi FC displayed some early promise. Unfazed by their more illustrious opponents, the hosts were the ones applying the early pressure in the game, even conjuring the first chance within the first 10 minutes.
Having been played through on the left of the box, Mousumi Murmu took a touch to pass the defender before shooting a low shot towards the far post. The attempt flew wide.
A prolonged tussle in midfield ensued, with neither team able to actually take control of the flow of the game. If anything the hosts’ slowly ceded control to Odisha as time wore on.
Odisha got their reward for it five minutes before half-time. From a breakaway move, Neha ran into the left of the box and slid a shot towards the far post from a tight angle. Goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan stuck out her leg to make a smart save. The rebound fell straight into the path of Jennifer Yeboah. The Ghanaian duly tapped it in.
Odisha slowly dialled up the pressure as the game wore on and in the second half Yeboah, Arifa Zaheer and Lynda Kom had chances to double the lead, denied by Chauhan and a quick thinking defence.
Just when it seemed like Odisha had done enough, and the game was drifting towards an inevitable end, Sribhumi hit back with an equaliser. Smart wig play from the right saw a hopeful cross drift into the centre of the box. Queenable Amankrah brilliantly side footed a volley into the far corner leaving Shreya Hooda flat footed and the visitors shocked.
It didn’t last long. Lynda Kom provided a fitting response in the 81st minute finishing off a brilliant move to help Odisha retake the lead. Neha crossed the ball from the left towards the far post and an unmarked Lynda, running in, smashed a volley into the top corner. Kim’s injury in the final moments of the game was the only blemish on a fruitful match-day for Odisha.
