RAIA: Himachal Predesh blanked hosts Goa 4-0 in a Group III match of 27th National Women’s Football Championship at Nehru Stadium, Margao today. They led 1-0 at the break.
It was not a hopelessly one-sided match as the result points out, as Goa also created some chances but their strikers had no capacity to translate the moves into goals. That apart, the margin was restricted to just four and the credit for that should go to goalkeeper Ashika Gadekar who was in the thick of action especially in the first ten minutes when she effected three sure saves which could have been sure goals for the Himachal girls.
Ashika’s first save came in the 4th minute as she saved a power-packed effort from Anju. Later, Ashika blocked Poonam’s and Nisha’s tries.
Goa had a chance to score as Velanie Fernandes went solo but her effort missed the target by a whisker.
It was midfielder and captain Ritu Sharma who put Himachal into the lead in the 11th minute. Goa hit back and Velanie missed yet another chance to score.
Himachal netted three more in the second session through Nisha, Ritu Devi and Anju in the 59th, 67th, 81st minutes respectively. Goa did not give up, but tried their level best to score with Kulsum Bi Shaik, Velanie and Namita Govekar missing narrowly with the post denying once.
Goa will play Andhra Pradesh on March 31 at 4 pm and Odisha on April 2 also at 4 pm.
In the other match, Odisha hammered Rajasthan 12-0 after leading 3-0 at the break. The highlight of the match, was a brilliant hat-trick by player-of-the match, Jasoda Munda who, in all, scored four goals. She opened the account in the 11th minute and scored in the 58th, 94th and 96th minutes. The other scorers were Malati Munda in the 23rd and 33rd minutes, Bannya Kabiraj 48th and 72nd, Niketa Bishi 52nd, Bharati Das 57th, Srijana Tamang 71st, Sumitra Hembram 80th.
Jasoda Munda was declared player-of-the match.
