Messi Bouli scored inside a minute and again in stoppage time, and Punjab FC began the Dermitzakis era with a 2-1 win over Odisha
The Cameroonian striker’s late left-footed winner settled Punjab FC’s ISL 2026-27 opener in New Delhi after Thoiba Singh had headed Odisha level.
Oct 15, 2026
Raphaël Messi Bouli needed less than a minute to score his first ISL goal for Punjab FC, and he left his second until the dying seconds. The Cameroonian striker’s stoppage-time winner gave Punjab a 2-1 win over Odisha FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday, in the first ISL game for both sides this season.
It was also a winning start for Pavlos Dermitzakis, the Greek coach Punjab appointed in July after Panagiotis Dilmperis left for Mohun Bagan.
A goal inside a minute
Muhammed Uvais crossed from the right inside the first minute, and Messi Bouli arrived at the edge of the six-yard box to finish with his right foot. Odisha were level in the 15th minute. Lalthathanga Khawlhring curled in a corner and Thoiba Singh Moirangthem headed it in.
The rest of the first half was scrappy. Mahmoud Eid shot wide for Odisha from inside the box, while Bijoy Varghese headed wide for Punjab and Ricky Shabong fired just past the post.
Tiwari keeps Odisha in it
Punjab took over after the break, and Odisha goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari kept them out several times. Tiwari stopped efforts from Alfred Planas, Diego Raposo, Gurkirat Singh and Messi Bouli himself, who also put a header wide from another Uvais cross.
Odisha’s best chances came late, after their substitutes came on. Arshdeep Singh dived to keep out a driven shot from Eid with ten minutes left, and Nihal Sudheesh was also denied in stoppage time.
The winner
Then Punjab went up the other end. A pass was slid into the box, and Messi Bouli finished low with his left foot into the bottom corner, deep into added time.
Messi Bouli, who has no connection to the other famous Messi, knows Indian football well. He first came to the ISL with Kerala Blasters in 2019-20 and spent last season at Jamshedpur FC before Punjab signed him in August. On this evidence, Punjab’s attack will lean on him heavily.
Dermitzakis had said before the game that Punjab used a long pre-season to fill the positions where they needed reinforcements. Punjab host Mumbai City on Monday, 19 October. Mumbai lost to newcomers Churchill Brothers in their opener. Odisha, coached by TG Purushothaman, go to Inter Kashi on Saturday.