Odisha FC 2 (Eliane Manbolamo 4′, Lynda Kom Serto 43′)
beat
Nita Football Academy 0

AIFF Media Team

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha FC registered a 2-0 victory over newly-promoted city rivals Nita Football Academy in the Indian Women’s League at the Kalinga Stadium on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. The result lifted them to third place on the table with seven points from four games, five points behind leaders East Bengal. Nita FA meanwhile stayed put in fifth with four points from as many games.

Odisha flew off the blocks early, and took the lead in the fourth minute with a textbook corner routine that exposed Nita FA’s lack of defensive discipline. From Neha’s corner, Elaine Manbolamo charged into the six-yard box to head comfortably into the bottom corner.

To their credit, Nita’s front line were more adept at their job than the defence, and in the period following the opener, created a host of chances to draw level. The best of those fell to Jigmet Chuzen when the winger cut in from the left of the box, took the ball on her right foot and attempted to curl one towards the far post. Shreya Hooda parried the chance away. 

Odisha scored a second via Lynda Kom in the 43rd minute to extend their lead and deflate a resurgent Nita FA heading into the break. Having picked up the ball on the right of the box, Lynda Kom drifted in, faked to go one way before going another and then fired a low shot into the far corner.

Odisha were keen to not slip up and let Nita back in the second half and their midfield consistently held possession and drove the impetus of the game. Jennifer Yeboah’s speed was a constant threat for the visiting defence and as the game wore on, their creative spark Yumnam Kamala Devi faded from the game.

In the 68th minute, Yeboah had the best chance to put the result to bed, shooting from inside the six-yard box after a header had dropped into her path from a corner. Malti Kumari’s instinctive stretch kept the scoreline competitive. It didn’t matter though as Odisha closed out the game to take their second win of the season.