Odisha FC secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Sporting Club Delhi in their Indian Super League 2025-26 encounter at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Friday.
Early first-half strikes from VP Suhair and K Lalrinfela (Mafela) gave Odisha FC a commanding lead, rendering Matija Babovic’s second-half penalty for SC Delhi a mere consolation. Suhair VP had a wonderful game alongside K Lalrinfela, who was deservedly awarded the Player of the Match for his outstanding overall performance in midfield.
With this vital win, Odisha FC moved into 11th place, leapfrogging Chennaiyin FC and NorthEast United FC. It now has 10 points from 11 matches, while SC Delhi remains in 10th place with the same number of points from 11 matches, staying ahead courtesy of goal difference.
The victory provides a massive boost to Odisha FC’s survival hopes as it continues to fight its way out of the looming relegation battle. Meanwhile, SC Delhi was left to rue its missed opportunities after completely dominating possession but failing to capitalise on its attacking metrics.
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The match began with Odisha FC catching the host completely off guard in the opening exchanges. The Juggernauts broke the deadlock in just the four minutes when an unmarked Suhair met a perfect cross from Sanathoi Singh Heikrujam and found the back of the net with a header to go 1-0 up.
SC Delhi slowly began to claw its way back into the game, but the visitor struck again in the 13th minute after Delhi gave the ball away. Odisha midfielder Lalthathanga Khawlhring (Puitea) delivered a spot-on assist for Mafela, who produced a strong right-footed finish with a grounded shot that rolled into the bottom corner. The strike went past a diving Nora Fernandes to give Odisha FC a 2-0 lead.
The game went on without much incident until the 70th minute when Odisha FC conceded a clear penalty.
Puitea handled the ball while attempting to clear it, resulting in a penalty for handball. Matija Babovic stepped up to take the spot-kick in the 74th minute. The forward executed a well-placed penalty with power and precision to pull a goal back for the host.
As the clock ticked down, Odisha FC looked to retain possession and manage the game to protect its slender lead. Despite seven minutes of additional time, the Juggernauts withstood the late onslaught from Delhi and saw the win out.
Published on May 08, 2026