Inter Kashi fought back from an own goal down to earn a 1-1 draw against Odisha FC in the Indian Super League on Saturday, with Thoi Singh’s late strike cancelling out Pratik Chaudhari’s 56th-minute own goal at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune, according to ANI.
The hosts showed persistence throughout the contest and were rewarded in the closing stages after a set-piece situation left Thoi Singh with space in the centre of the box. The midfielder fired a left-footed effort into the bottom-left corner to ensure the points were shared.
It was a richly deserved reward for Inter Kashi, who had been the more positive team for long stretches and refused to let a cruel twist of fate decide the outcome.
The result was a fair reflection of an even contest in which both sides created chances but struggled to find the decisive touch until the late drama unfolded.
Inter Kashi Survive Goalless First Half
The hosts were the brighter side in the opening exchanges and tested Odisha’s defence through Sajad Parray and Wayne Vaz in the first 15 minutes. Parray’s left-footed effort from outside the box went wide, while Vaz also missed the target after being set up by Jitendra Singh, according to the match report.
Odisha responded with chances of their own. Rahim Ali’s effort from the left side of the box was blocked in the 22nd minute as the visitors continued to threaten from set pieces. Ali had another opportunity in first-half stoppage time but sent his shot wide, and the teams went into the break goalless.
The hosts started the second half on the front foot, with attempts from Rosenberg Gabriel and Wayne Vaz blocked by the Odisha defence, but the hosts were stunned when the deadlock was broken against them.
Inter Kashi Undone by Chaudhari’s Own Goal
The visitors broke the deadlock in the 56th minute in cruel fashion for the hosts. Defender Pratik Chaudhari inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, handing Odisha an undeserved lead after the hosts had shaded the early stages of the second half.
Odisha came close to doubling their advantage in the 76th minute when Mahmoud Eid connected with a pass from Lalrinfela Khiangte, but home goalkeeper Albino Gomes produced an important save to keep his side in the contest, according to ANI.
That save proved pivotal. With the deficit still at a single goal, Inter Kashi kept pushing for a way back into the match and refused to let the contest slip away. The momentum visibly shifted after the hour mark, with the hosts growing in belief while Odisha dropped deeper and looked to protect their slender advantage.
Inter Kashi’s set-piece threat had been a feature of their play all evening, and it was from a dead-ball situation that they finally found their reward. The equaliser was no more than the hosts deserved for their refusal to abandon their attacking intent, even after falling behind through such an unfortunate goal. Odisha, who had looked comfortable in possession for spells, suddenly found themselves under real pressure as the home crowd sensed an equaliser.
Inter Kashi Grab Late Equaliser Through Thoi Singh
The hosts’ persistence finally paid off late in the second half. Following a set-piece situation, Thoi Singh found space in the centre of the box and fired a left-footed effort into the bottom-left corner to level the score at 1-1.
The hosts pushed for a winner in the closing stages, but Aritra Das’s direct free-kick sailed high and wide. Neither side could find a decisive goal and the contest ended in a draw, with the hosts earning a hard-fought point for their late efforts.
The draw keeps the hosts competitive in the early standings, and the character shown in fighting back from an own goal will encourage the coaching staff. Odisha, meanwhile, will rue the late lapse after coming so close to a valuable away win.
For Inter Kashi, the point felt like more than a point. Having created the better chances in the first half through Parray and Vaz, and having struck the woodwork of misfortune with Chaudhari’s own goal, the hosts would have left the field aggrieved had they lost. Instead, Thoi Singh’s late intervention ensured their efforts were rewarded and their unbeaten home resolve remained intact.
Odisha FC will need to regroup quickly. After going ahead, the visitors were unable to manage the game out, and their inability to convert dominance from set pieces into a second goal ultimately cost them. With the ISL season still in its early stages, both sides have time to build on this result, but the hosts will take the greater satisfaction from a draw that owed everything to their late refusal to accept defeat.