Odisha Women League (OWL) runners-up Sports Odisha came from behind to thrash State champions Odisha Police 4-1 in their Indian Womens League (IWL) match at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar today.

Sumitra Hembram, Satyabati Khadia, Pyari Xaxa and Subhadra Sahoo scored the four goals for the Odisha Government sponsored Sports Odisha team. This was the fourth victory for Sports Odisha who now occupy the fourth place in the league table with 13 points from seven games.

Odisha Police skipper Sumitra Xalxo gave her team an unprecedented lead despite Sports Odisha being the favourites on paper. She scored thanks to an exquisite curler into the top corner. However, as the match progressed, Sports Odisha took control. Sumitra Hembram netted the equaliser with a glancing header.

Subsequently, Sports Odisha took the lead courtesy Satyabati Khadia, who pounced on a poor clearance inside the box and tapped it in. Odisha Police were lucky to stay only one goal behind before halftime as Pyari Xaxa made life difficult for their defenders, but could not score a third.

However, the attacker finally got on the scoresheet a minute into the second half. Xaxa showed some individual brilliance to shrug off her marker and place it into the bottom corner to make it a two-goal lead for her side.

A fourth was added three minutes before the hour mark for Sports Odisha by Subhadra Sahoo, who latched on to a loose ball inside the box and finished with precision.

Odisha Police made a late charge to reduce the deficit. A shot from inside the box by Sarojini Tirkey was cleared off the line by Jabamani Tudu of Sports Odisha to keep the three-goal lead intact. Seven minutes were added for stoppages but the game did not see any more goals.

Pyari Xaxa pocketed the Player of the Match award which carried a cash prize of Rs 5,000. This was the fifth defeat for Odisha Police who languished at the ninth position the league table with six points from seven matches.
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PHOTO: Action from the IWL match between Sports Odisha and Odisha Police at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar on 8 May 2022.