Key Points

Goals from Asmir Suljic, Ezequiel Vidal, and Nihal Sudeesh ensured the Shers get the better of the hosts. They will face FC Goa in the quarterfinals on 26th who got the better of I-League side Gokulam Kerala FC in a similar score line.

Punjab FC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis opted for an aggressive 4-2-4 formation, trusting his all-Indian defence line of Khaiminthang Lhungdim, Suresh Meitei, Paramveer, and Abhishek Singh. With Muheet Shabbir in goal and Ricky Shabong and Nikhil Prabhu anchoring the midfield, the attacking line was led by Muhammad Suhail, Asmir Suljic, Ezequiel Vidal, and Petros Giakoumakis. On the other side, Odisha FC--last season's runners-up--lined up in a 3-4-3 under Sergio Lobera, with Amrinder Singh in goal and a solid backline featuring Mourtada Fall and Carlos Delgado; their frontline included the likes of Hugo Boumous, Isak Vanlalruatfela, and Dorielton Silva.

Odisha FC dominated possession early on, but it was Punjab FC who fired the first warning shot, Suljic testing Amrinder in the 5th minute. The Shers, pressing high and showing intent, took the lead in the 14th minute. A sharp through ball from Vidal found Suljic, who cleverly dinked it over the onrushing keeper to make it 1-0. Punjab's high press and compact shape kept Odisha frustrated, and they nearly doubled their lead on multiple occasions. Suhail came close after a deflected effort in the 33rd minute, while Ricky Shabong saw his shot saved after a flowing move involving Suljic.

Odisha's best chance came in the 36th minute when Dorielton found himself one-on-one with the Shers' Muheet but missed the target. A minute later, Boumous tested Muheet again, only to be denied by a brilliant reflex save. Just before halftime, Suljic and Shabong combined beautifully, but the final shot lacked sting. The Shers went into the break with a deserved 1-0 lead.

Punjab FC faced an early change in the second half with Ashish Pradhan replacing Nikhil Prabhu. But the change did not slow down their momentum. The Shers continued to threaten Odisha's high line with swift transitions and clever link-ups between Vidal and Suljic. In the 56th minute, Vidal nearly scored with a two-shot attempt, his second going just wide. Odisha, meanwhile, struggled with their finishing despite some promising build-up play. The Shers defense stood tall, with goalkeeper Muheet once again stepping up when required.

In the 69th minute, Vidal turned on the flair, skipping past his marker and unleashing a sublime left-footed shot from outside the box that nestled into the far corner to double Punjab's lead. From there, the Shers stuck to their game plan, absorbing pressure, staying compact, and waiting for their moment. Odisha's errors in the final third continued, while the Shers maintained their discipline. With the match heading into the final stretch, Odisha pushed hard but were repeatedly shut down by the Sher's all Indian backline.

In the 90th minute, the Shers sealed the match in style. Substitute Manglenthang Kipgen played a perfectly timed ball from half-line to Nihal Sudeesh, who calmly beat the keeper and slotted in Punjab's third of the night. Punjab FC kept pushing even in stoppage time, trying to find their fourth. At the final whistle, it was a complete performance from Dilmperis' men to sail into the quarter finals.

- IANS