On a warm August night in Jordan this year, Crispin Chhetri, a former India international, lay waiting on the sidelines with his eyes riveted on the clock. When the full-time whistle blew, he smiled, knowing his team, Odisha FC Women (OFCW), had won.
But it took him a few minutes to realise that it was more than just a victory. His team had just beaten Jordanian top-flight champion Etihad Club 2-1, becoming the first Indian club to qualify for the inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League (AWCL).
“At the final whistle, I didn’t even realise we had qualified. When our coaches and staff started celebrating, then I knew,” OFCW’s head coach Crispin said in an interview after the match.
OFCW is not the first Indian women’s team to qualify for Asia. Gokulam Kerala, the most successful team in Indian women’s football, with four top-flight Indian Women’s League (IWL) titles, has played in the AFC Women’s Club Championship before.
However, Gokulam Kerala did not have to play qualifying games to reach the tournament proper, nor did it make its first appearance in Asia within two years of its inception, as OFCW did. OFCW won its qualifying games against champions from Singapore and Jordan, earning a spot in the AWCL.
Starting from scratch
Crispin Chhetri. | Photo Credit: Odisha FC Women
Odisha FC’s plans for a women’s team began in 2021, drawing from experience in both European and Indian football to spur a mix of financial and grassroots development.
The club announced Raj Athwal as its president in January 2021, an expert in commercial operations at British clubs such as Watford, Rangers, and Coventry City over two decades.
Later that year, Randeep Baruah, former General Manager of the Indian Super League side NorthEast United FC, joined the club as Head of Academy & Women’s Football. The team eventually took shape and was officially launched on July 1, 2022.
OFCW scouted players with prior IWL experience, as well as local talent, to contribute to the club’s development. Pyari Xaxa, an India international who had won the IWL with Rising Students Club in 2018 and was from Odisha, perfectly fit the bill as the first major signing.
More national team players, such as Shreya Hooda, Karthika Angamuthu, and Anju Tamang, followed, while Odisha State team captain Karishma Oram strengthened the defence.
In its first season itself, OFCW won the Odisha Women’s League.
“To be in IWL, we had to win the State League. That was not much of a challenge because we had some of the best national team players,” said Chhetri, an AFC ‘A’ Licence holder of FIFA, who has been with the team from the beginning, in an interview with Sportstar. “But I think it was a good platform for us to build as a team because everyone was new to everything.”
Though OFCW strengthened its squad for IWL 2022-23 by signing Ngangom Bala Devi (India’s highest goalscorer in women’s football) and young prodigy Lynda Kom Serto (the Most Valuable Player at the Under-18 SAFF Championship), the team lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Gokulam Kerala, losing 0-3 in penalties. “I think we sorted out many things we didn’t do in the first year, and in the second year, as a coach, I knew what kind of players I needed for my team,” Chhetri said.
Learning from mistakes
All smiles: A jubilant Indumathi Kathiresan poses with the IWL trophy. | Photo Credit: Odisha FC Women
Moving forward, the Juggernauts stuck with their core players — Shreya, Lynda, Pyari, and Karthika — and signed Indumathi Kathiresan, IWL’s best player from the previous season at Gokulam Kerala.
Rather than relying solely on signings, Chhetri focused on improving the learning process at the club. “We passed less information (technical details) and focused more on learning (understanding the game) because if (and when players) go to the national team or other teams, they might have coaches with different philosophies. But if they learn something from me, it’s for a lifetime,” he said.
With 31 points and as many goals in 12 matches, a rejuvenated OFCW became the champion of India.
“In women’s football, it’s not just about the quality of the players, but the right mindset and the character in the dressing room,” Chhetri said.
“Maybe with talent, you win one or two matches. But if you have the right character, I think you have more chances of winning a championship than with talent and quality alone.”
While the club has signed several foreign players over the years, it has primarily preferred Indian players in key positions. This decision has turned out to be a fruitful one.
“I think some foreigners come here not to be part of IWL, but just to be comfortable, play for money, and leave. I need foreigners who want to excel and use this platform to go abroad, so that it sets an example for our youngsters,” Chhetri said.
Chhetri’s search for leaders may have ended this season with Ghana’s prolific striker Jennifer Kankam Yeboah, who joined the club before the AWCL qualifiers. Jennifer scored for fun in the Egyptian Women’s League (57 goals in 30 matches) and won the Ghana Women’s Footballer of the Year award before moving to India to form a formidable pair with Lynda in front of goal.
“The coach’s vision and the conversations we had were key to me joining the club. He outlined how I would fit into the team’s plan and how he intended to develop my game,” Jennifer told DW in a recent interview. Of OFCW’s six goals in the AWCL qualifiers, all — except for two own goals — came from Lynda and Jennifer, with Lynda netting a brace against Lion City Sailors and Jennifer securing qualification with a double against Etihad FC.
“I have earned a lot of experience playing here, especially with the seniors. When I came to the club, I was very young, but I’ve learned how to train and maintain my body. It has also helped me grow in football,” Lynda told Sportstar.
Uphill battle in Champions League
Triumphant trio: Jennifer Kankam Yeboah, Pyari Xaxa and Lynda Kom Serto are vital to OFCW’s success. | Photo Credit: Odisha FC Women
OFCW’s dream run to the AWCL is nothing short of inspiring. However, in its first match in the Champions League, it was left to pick up the pieces after a 0-17 thrashing by the defending Asian champion from Japan, Urawa Red Diamonds, on October 6.
The Red Diamonds had steamrolled Gokulam Kerala 8-0 in the AFC Women’s Club Championship last year, scoring four goals in each half. Against OFCW, it handed Indian football another reality check, highlighting the gulf in quality between the two sides at the Thong Nhat Stadium in Vietnam. The Japanese side had a staggering 55 shots compared to Odisha’s solitary effort throughout the game.
The Juggernauts are travelling with a depleted squad, with five players missing out due to injury and transfer restrictions.
Pyari and goalkeeper Anshika are injured, midfielder Grace Haunhar is suspended for five matches, and new signing, Cameroonian defender Elaine Boddolo wasn’t granted the International Transfer Certificate (ITC) by FIFA.
Additionally, Indian forward Munica Minz and defender Kretina Sangma missed the group-stage squad due to visa issues.
While it lost again in the second game to host Ho Chi Minh City from Vietnam, it lost by a respectable margin of 1-3 with Jennifer Yeboah getting on the scoresheet. Odisha has one more group-stage match left against Taichung Blue Whale of Chinese Taipei.
Regardless of the team’s performance, it is assured a sum of $100,000 (approx. ₹88.3 lakh), which is over eight times the prize money of the IWL (₹10 lakh). Chhetri believes this will help nurture women’s football, not only at the club but also in India. “Everything is about money. It’s not just about paying players because everybody needs security, especially women players, who are constantly asked why they aren’t getting married,” Chhetri explained. “Moreover, with the money, we can invest in their basic facilities – the training pitch, accommodation, food, and travel, because we want to create professional players.”
With two trophies in as many years and a spot in Asia, OFCW has become a leading example of Indian women’s football making significant progress in a short period of time.
While the results may not be favourable for the Juggernauts in their maiden AWCL campaign, they can take plenty of learnings back home and aim to return stronger next time.
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