Round 12 of the 2023-24 Indian Women’s League (IWL) season came to a close on Saturday, after Gokulam Kerala’s encounter with fellow title contenders Kickstart FC. This round contained results that would have huge implications in the race for the IWL title. As things are heating up at the top of the table, however, Sports Odisha remains winless and HOPS and Sethu battle for mid-table precedence.
Here is a summary of each game from this round, including the pivotal moments from each fixture.
Sethu FC comfortably overcame Sports Odisha
IWL round 12 kicked off at the Capital Football Arena in Bhubaneswar when Sports Odisha welcomed Sethu FC on Friday, 8th March.
Sports Odisha were sitting at the bottom of the table with just two points to show for their entire season so far. Their nearest neighbors were equally struggling East Bengal who preceded them by two points. Meanwhile, 5th placed Sethu FC, having established their mid-table position, had precious little to play for, save for jousting HOPS for 4th position.
After an end-to-end start to the first half, Sethu took the advantage through Malavika Prasad in the 19th minute. The right winger, seeing no options in the middle, put a hopeful cross into the near post area, but the ball found its way into the net off the Sporting Odisha netminder.
Eight minutes later, Kaviya Pakkirisamy doubled Sethu’s lead. This time Spandita Das punched Prasad’s cross away from the goal, but the ball fell to Pakkirisamy who made the most of the opportunity.
The hosts had some big opportunities to come back before the break. Sumitra Hembram almost pulled one back for Sporting Odisha, minutes after they conceded their second, but her half-volley from outside the box was met by a strong top-hand save from Anjila Subba. Then, just before halftime, Subhadra Sahoo tested Subba with another promising left-footed strike, but the Sethu custodian was equal to the task yet again.
Once the game resumed with the second period, the hosts’ attacking ventures began to wane. In the 66th minute, Sethu FC scored their third goal of the game at the expense of another goalkeeping error. Once again it was a Prasad cross that stirred the pot, but in this instance, the ball went through the outstretched arms of Das, before Kajol D’souza tapped it in at the far post.
After a game that saw the result dictated by contrasting goalkeeping at either end, Sethu FC took all maximum points. Sporting Odisha remains winless and in last place, while Sethu FC are level with 4th-placed HOPS on 13 points.
IWL title race intensifies with Odisha FC’s win over HOPS
Odisha FC defeated HOPS 3 – 0 in the IWL round’s second game, held in the Dr. Ambedkar Stadium in Delhi on Thursday, March 8th. With only two games to play in the season, the win puts the Kalinga Warriors closer to silverware in their debut IWL campaign.
Odisha FC dominated proceedings from the onset but required a 20th-minute penalty kick to open the scoring. The spot kick was awarded after a goal-bound effort from Karthika Angamuthu struck a defender’s arm in the box. Indumathi Kathiresan stepped up to take the kick for Odisha and she did not falter, scoring her fourth goal of the season.
The Kalinga Warriors kept their foot on the pedal and nearly added two more goals before halftime. Only the crossbar and a miraculous save from the HOPS goalkeeper kept the hosts in the contest.
After play resumed in the second half, HOPS’ sustenance did not last long. It only took fourteen seconds (four passes) from kickoff for Pyari Xaxa to double Odisha FC’s lead. The well-worked team goal left HOPS’s players visibly dumbfounded on the field.
The hosts’ only retaliations came from the occasional rampage led by their Ghanaian strike partners Fredrica Torkudodzor and Gladys Amfobea. However, an amalgamation of defending-in-packs and good goalkeeping kept HOPS from scoring.
The Kalinga Warriors’ win was confirmed in the 90th minute when Lynda Kom scored their third and final goal of the day. The center-forward was played into a one-on-one situation by Kathiresan, and the former found the net with a well-taken finish.
Having taken all three points Odisha earned a two-point cushion at the top of the table. However, their position was at the mercy of the result in this IWL round’s final match between Gokulam Kerala and Kickstart. Nevertheless, the Kalinga Warriors find themselves in a position where their fate is in their own hands. Victories in both their remaining league games will guarantee them the title, regardless of happenings elsewhere.
First-half goals send Gokulam Kerala to the top of the IWL
IWL round 12’s ultimate game saw Kickstart FC host Gokulam Kerala at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Saturday, March 9th. Both teams, still in contention for the title, knew the consequences a negative result would have.
Gokulam, having won their past six games, came into this fixture with three points on their minds. Trailing first-placed Odisha FC by just two points, a win would move them to the summit. Kickstart also needed the win to reduce the five-point gap that separated them from the leaders and remain in the title race.
Kickstart started the game with intent and had a glorious opportunity in the 8th minute. Karishma Shirvoikar left completely unmarked in the box, was found from a cross, but the forward smashed the ball off the crossbar.
The hosts continued to press with vigor, breaking up Gokulam’s build-up play and creating chances. However, they were unable to change the scoreline. Instead, it was the visitors who, against the run of play, broke the deadlock in the 15th minute. Gokulam’s Ugandan taliswoman Fazila Ikwaput did the damage with a vicious close-range volley.
Gokulam nearly doubled their lead in the 25th minute through a fabulous long-range effort from Sandhiya Ranganathan, but an equally impressive save from Maibam Devi kept it out. Anju Tamang was well-positioned to score the rebound, but her attempt flew well over the crossbar.
The visitors eventually succeeded in adding to their advantage in the 43rd minute. A lapse in communication saw Kickstart’s custodian collide with centre-back Wangkhem Devi, as she attempted to deal with a floated long ball. Ranganathan was on hand to tap the loose ball into the empty net. Kickstart must have been extremely disappointed to see their energetic start dissipate into a two-goal deficit before the break.
The second half was comparatively eventless. The Malabarians missed a few glaring chances to append to their tally, but it did not come back to haunt them. Kickstart could hardly manage a shot on target, let alone put it in the net.
The final outcome pushes the three-time IWL defending champion Gokulam Kerala to the first position, surpassing Odisha FC by one point. However, the Malabarians only have one game remaining, in contrast to Odisha FC’s two.
Meanwhile, Kickstart is effectively out of the title race with this defeat. The Karnataka club is still mathematically in contention, but require major slip-ups from the top two, and have a daunting goal difference to overcome.
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