Punjab FC crush Odisha FC 3-0 to secure quarterfinals spot in Kalinga Super Cup

Time of India

22-04-2025

Punjab FC
displayed dominance to defeat
Odisha FC
3-0 of the
Kalinga Super Cup
(KSC) Round of 16 match at the
Kalinga Stadium
on Monday, as per the official website of ISL. The win secured a quarterfinal spot for the team.
The hosts were outplayed thanks to goals from Nihal Sudeesh, Ezequiel Vidal, and Asmir Suljic. They will meet
FC Goa
in the quarterfinals on April 26, who defeated the I-League team Gokulam Kerala FC by a similar score.
Punjab FC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis opted for an aggressive 4-2-4 formation, trusting his all-Indian defence line of Khaiminthang Lhungdim, Suresh Meitei, Paramveer, and Abhishek Singh.
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Earlier on, it was Odisha FC, who dominated possession. However it was Punjab FC who fired the first warning shot, with Suljic testing Amrinder in the 5th minute. The visitors, pressing high and showing intent, took the lead in the 14th minute.
Odisha FC's best chance came in the 36th minute when Dorielton found himself one-on-one with the Punjab's Muheet but missed the target. A minute later, Boumous tested Muheet again, only to be denied by a brilliant reflex save.
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Just before halftime, Suljic and Shabong combined, but the final shot lacked sting. Punjab went into the break with a 1-0 lead.
Punjab FC made a change early in the second half, with Ashish Pradhan replacing Nikhil Prabhu. But the change did not slow down their momentum.
The visitors continued to threaten Odisha's defence with swift passing and clever link-ups between Vidal and Suljic.
In the 56th minute, Vidal nearly scored with a two-shot attempt, with his second going just wide. Odisha had several buildups but struggled with their finishing. Punjab's defence stood tall, with goalkeeper Muheet once again stepping up when required.
In the 69th minute, Vidal turned on the flair, unleashing a brilliant left-footed shot from outside the box that bulleted into the far corner to double Punjab FC's lead.
Punjab continued to stick to their game plan, absorbing pressure, staying compact, and waiting for their moment. With the match heading into the final stretch, Odisha pushed hard but were repeatedly shut down by the Punjab's all Indian backline.
In the 90th minute, the visitors sealed the match in style. Substitute Manglenthang Kipgen played a perfectly timed ball from the half-line to Nihal Sudeesh, who calmly beat the keeper and slotted in Punjab FC's third of the night.
The visitors kept pushing even in stoppage time, trying to find their fourth. At the final whistle, it was a complete performance from Dilmperis' men to sail into the quarter-finals.