IWL: Odisha FC play out thrilling draw against Gokulam Kerala

Odisha FC are the defending champions of the IWL.

The two big favourites, Odisha FC and Gokulam Kerala FC, the champions and runners-up of the last edition, respectively, played an entertaining 1-1 draw to open their IWL 2024-25 season at the EMS Corporation Stadium on Friday, January 10, 2025.

Both goals came in the second half. While Gokulam FC took the lead in the 61st minute through Lynda Kom Serto, Odisha found the equaliser when Hemam Shilky Devi banged the target in the 87th minute during this crucial IWL encounter.

The high-stakes IWL game started off with Odisha dominating a lot of the possession and being the ones who created more in front of goal, the best of those chances resulting in a deflected shot that was saved by Gokulam’s goalkeeper Payal Basude.

Shilky Devi’s late equaliser cancels out Lynda Kom’s long ranger ⚔️ as @GokulamKeralaFC & @OdishaFCW settle for a point in Kozhikode 🤝#GKFCOFC #IWL #IndianFootball ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/izrUsdC8AJ

— I-League (@ILeague_aiff) January 10, 2025

Gokulam, for their part, were hugely reliant on their three foreign players for most of their gameplay, and of the three, Phoeby Owiti was the most prolific, often driving out of defence to interlink and create opportunities in the opposition third during this IWL clash.

It was her brilliant interplay with Ratanbala Devi in the second half that eventually resulted in Gokulam’s first clear chance at goal. After a delicate one-two, Ratanbala’s cutback was cut off by Odisha’s defence to a corner. From the half-cleared corner came a cross from the left, which Owiti headed wide in this intense IWL fixture.

Lynda Kom continues spirited form in IWL

Odisha scored the opener just as it seemed that Gokulam had gained the upper hand in the game via the newly minted Blue Tigress Lynda Kom. The midfielder picked up a fairly innocuous pass outside the box, turned and twisted away from her defender, before curling a brilliant left-footed effort into the top corner in the 61st minute. A diving Basude had no chance in this IWL showdown.

Gokulam’s attacking fervour became more desperate as the clock ticked away. A lack of composure seemed to be their bane, with Asem Roja Devi and Owiti guilty of shooting over when hitting the target might have been the easier option. Both were played through on goal by chipped passes from Catherine Aringo, with only goalkeeper Shreya Hooda to beat during this pivotal IWL match.

They did get their equaliser eventually, late even to draw level. In the 87th minute, Odisha failed to clear a corner cleanly, and the ball dropped to Shilky Devi in the six-yard area. The defender had her back to goal but wrestled for control before eventually pouncing on the loose ball to smash it into the net in this electrifying IWL encounter.

The hosts even found time to create one final chance to wrap the points deep in injury time, with Faila Ikwaput played into the box on the left and allowed to drive through on goal. Her weak shot was gathered gratefully by Hooda, concluding this thrilling IWL opener.

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