Crested Cranes forward Fazila Ikwaput dazzled with a brilliant brace as Gokulam Kerala secured a 3-1 triumph over defending champions Odisha at the Kalinga Stadium in the Indian Women Premier League on Saturday.
Gokulam drew first blood in the 30th minute when Odisha’s Pyari Xaxa inadvertently turned the ball into her own net. Ikwaput wasted no time doubling the advantage just two minutes later, capitalizing on a defensive blunder.
Despite Odisha's goalkeeper Shreya Hooda making a string of impressive saves, her unfortunate injury forced an early exit, with Anshika stepping in and denying Ikwaput twice.
Odisha found a glimmer of hope when Neha Sillay struck in the 50th minute, reducing the deficit. However, Ikwaput restored Gokulam’s two-goal cushion with a clinical finish nine minutes later, sealing a well-deserved victory.
With this win, Gokulam Kerala climbed to second place in the standings with 20 points, trailing leaders East Bengal by just one point after their 2-0 win over Kickstart.
Ikwaput’s double took her goal tally to an impressive 16 in just eight matches, averaging two goals per game, and cemented her status as a pivotal figure in Gokulam Kerala’s title pursuit.
In other action, Crested Cranes duo Amina Nababi and Hadijah Nandago are set to feature for Sethu Women FC against Sreebhumi on Sunday. A victory would propel Sethu into third place in the standings.
Comments