Isak Ralte's 51st minute strike helped 10-man Odisha FC hold Punjab FC to a 1-1 draw in the Indian Super League match in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
Greek striker Petros Giakoumakis gave Punjab FC the lead in the first-half injury time after Odisha FC were reduced to 10 men. However, Ralte's left-footed strike in the 51st minute helped the home team level scores.
Punjab stay ninth with 24 points from 19 games, while Odisha maintained their seventh position with 26 points from 20 matches.
Punjab's high-energy play in the first 30 minutes caught Odisha off guard. Giakoumakis did find the net, but it was ruled offside. Odisha goalkeeper Amrinder Singh was called into action several times while Ravi Kumar was hardly tested at the other end.
The game saw a lot of activity just before half time when Odisha's Rahul K P was given the marching orders for a rash tackle on Filip Mrzljak.
Punjab FC took advantage of their numerical advantage minutes later when Mrzljak flicked a pass to Ricky Shabong on the edge of the box. Shabong, in turn, found Giakoumakis, who made no mistake this time around to put the ball past Amrinder.
But for all their attacking moves, Punjab FC found their lead being nullified with the opponents scoring the equaliser seven minutes into the second half.
Diego Mauricio controlled a header from Ralte and returned the ball to the winger, who sprinted into the box and unleashed a left footer.
Ravi Kumar could not keep the shot under control as the ball trickled into the net through the hands of the keeper.
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