Team Herald
LUDHIANA/ PANJIM: Panjim Footballers recorded their first win in the 2018-19 Hero Indian Women’s League season, defeating FC Alakhpura 2-1 in a close encounter, at the Guru Nanak Stadium, in Ludhiana, on Thursday.
Karishma Shirvoikar broke the Alakhpura defence twice to help Panjim earn the three points, but it was the tactical defence of Linda Calado, Karen Costa,Wendy Dias led by Scindia Saudatikar that stole the show and earned the latter the Player-of-the-Match award.
It was a tight affair between the two sides that seem to have had each other sized-up pretty well. However, it was Panjim, who broke the deadlock early in the game. Captain Linda Calado gave a through ball to Karishma Shirvoikar who beat the Alakhpura offside trap and slipped the ball past the Alakhpura keeper Neelam to put Panjim in the lead 1-0.
Having taken the lead, Panjim were happy to sit back and let Alakhpura have the ball, while they concentrated on keeping their defensive shape intact.
Alakpura had two beautiful chances to equalise but goalkeeper Ashika Gadekar was on fire to deny opponent’s strikers to even pass the ball in the goal area.
Keeping their backline strong was a strategy that worked wonders for Panjim, who had lost 2-3 in their previous match against Hans Women FC.
It took them a little over 10 minutes after the start of the second half to double the score. Again, Ansiva Vaz passed an aerial ball behind the defence as Karishma ran on to the ball and lobbed it over the Alakpura keeper making it 2-0.
Panjim Footballers kept the ball rolling in midfield through their centre midfielders Susmita Jadav, Ansiva Vaz and Cia Almeida. Alakhpura kept knocking on the door and Panjim finally budged from a set-piece, as the Haryana side’s India U-18 International Samiksha expertly nodded it in a corner-kick making it 1-2.
FC Alakpura could have levelled terms but Panjim defense stood equally strong to the pressure. In the dying minutes Panjim’s goalkeeper Ashika Gadekar came to the side’s rescue denying FC Alakpura striker from scoring.
Panjim footballers Wendy Dias went in referee`s book for a reckless tackle.
