Sethu FC hand holders Odisha FC 2-0 defeat

Bhubaneswar, Jan 21 (PTI) Despite being a player down for the majority of the game, Sethu FC shocked Odisha FC 2-0 in their Indian Women's League match here on Tuesday.

Amnah Nababi scored for Sethu FC in the 69th and 82nd minutes of the match.

Sethu thus ended Odisha's unbeaten start to the league season as well as leapfrogged them on the table to second place. The result that took their tally to seven points, while Odisha are now in fourth place with four points.

Sethu were the ones who approached the game on the front foot, and even carved up the first chance of the game in the fourth minute, a corner headed wide at the far post narrowly.

Their attacks continued relentlessly at Odisha, who looked shell shocked and were for large parts of the opening 15 minutes constrained in their own half.

The pattern of play flipped completely because of one moment of madness in the 20th minute.

As Jennifer Yeboah, having received the ball 30 yards from goal, drove towards goal, she was brought down by Anu Sabu. The referee did not hesitate in deeming it a foul worthy of a sending off. Sethu were reduced to 10.

Odisha immediately conjured up their first real opportunity, Maryam Ibrahim's free kick saved comfortably by Khambi Chanu. Six minutes later came the best chance of the half, when Yeboah was played through via a brilliant Grace Lalrampari ball.

The Ghanaian did brilliantly to open her body up and slide the ball towards the far corner, leaving Chanu stranded. The effort bounced off the post. Sethu hung on to take the game to half time.

If the first half had demanded bravery of Sethu, then the second needed ingenuity and tactical nous, not just to play out the game but also take something from it. PTI AH AH BS BS