Punjab FC beat Odisha FC 2-1 to clinch its second successive win in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Friday.
The Shers are now unbeaten in their last eight games - when they have taken the lead first, winning six and drawing two of them.
A 27th-minute strike by the 23-year-old Nihal Sudeesh and a late goal by Leon Augustine proved sufficient for the home side, which played an unchanged 11 from its previous game.
Odisha, on the other hand, suffered consecutive losses in its first two matches, leaving plenty for head coach Sergio Lobera to ponder upon.
Punjab FC controlled the game from the beginning, creating multiple opportunities courtesy of its offensive quartet Nihal, Filip Mrzljak, Mushaga Bakenga, and Ezequiel Vidal.
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It breached Odisha FC’s defence multiple times, continuously asking questions to opposition’s goalkeeper Amrinder Singh. In the 28th minute, the breakthrough arrived.
Vidal stormed ahead in the left flank before chipping in a pass for Mrzljak inside the box, whose back-heel set Nihal up. The 23-year-old Indian winger got past Odisha FC full-back Amey Ranawade and sent the ball into the back of the net on the far right corner.
Nihal Sudheesh of Punjab FC celebrated scoring the goal with a message for quick recovery of PFC forward Luka Majcen, who has been ruled out for at least six weeks with an injury. | Photo Credit: ISL Media
The decisive blow was landed by Augustine in the 89th minute though, with Ricky Shabong’s piercing through ball finding the 25-year-old in the final third. The former Bengaluru FC player, who moved to Punjab this summer made no mistake to bury the ball into the bottom left corner and ran into stands to celebrate his goal.
Another summer transfer, this time for the other club, Odisha FC, found the net minutes later as Hugo Boumous shot on the volley in stoppage time. But the late surge proved to be too little too late for the Juggernauts.
Punjab hosts Hyderabad next on September 25 while Odisha travels to Jamshedpur for its next contest, three days later.
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