To add further salt to the wounds, Odisha are now placed to suffer relegation, their fate not entirely in their own hands with one game left. Soumya Guguloth scored the winning goal in the 67th minute.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In their third season in the women\u2019s top division, East Bengal halted all challenges with ease. They have beaten all teams, bar one \u2014 Gokulam Kerala \u2014 in the league this season and will no doubt look to amend that statistic heading into the final game of the season on April 18, when they will also be officially handed the trophy in Kalyani.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite thoroughly dominating the first half, East Bengal\u2019s sudden freeze in front of the goal extended into this game, too. Their forward trio of Maurine Achieng, Soumya Guguloth, and Elshaddai Acheampong were guilty of not finishing good chances throughout the first half hour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The best of these fell to Achieng, who forced a brilliant diving save from Nandini off a sharp header from Sandhiya Ranganathan\u2019s cross in the 35th minute. The next period of the game belonged to Odisha, though, with Pyari Xaxa almost single-handedly bursting through East Bengal\u2019s experienced defensive line before firing high when faced with just Panthoi Chanu to beat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In a chaotic end to the half, both teams traded more chances, Xaxa\u2019s header from a corner was cleared by Karthika Angamuthu, and Acheampong\u2019s long-range pile driver curled just wide of the far post.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The gap between the two sides this season is evident from their places on the table, but the pitch would not suggest it. Odisha brought all the momentum to the second half, and Xaxa was guilty of missing the best chance of the game when she poked a loose ball inside the six-yard area wide. The chance had been created from a corner, and East Bengal looked relieved.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Just as it seemed that the game was going to drift by without much scoreboard action, Anju Tamang, who had scored in the 1-1 draw with Sribhumi in the previous match, after returning from injury, came on to inject some energy into the hosts\u2019 attack.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Tamang almost immediately tested Nandini\u2019s reflexes, volleying from inside the box to draw a save. In the 67th minute, she turned provider, playing an inch-perfect pass that split the defence and allowed Guguloth to run free toward the goal. The forward finished it first time, with Nandini stranded, and duly brought out the celebrations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
East Bengal were perfectly placed now, not just to win this game but also the title itself. Odisha were playing for a chance at survival and played like it, desperation evident in every attack.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Tamang almost immediately tested Nandini\u2019s reflexes, volleying from inside the box to draw a save. In the 67th minute, she turned provider, playing an inch-perfect pass that split the defence and allowed Guguloth to run free toward the goal. The forward finished it first time, with Nandini stranded, and duly brought out the celebrations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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