AGENCIES, NEW DELHI: Rising Student’s Club became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the inaugural edition of the Indian Women’s League, following their 7-0 win against Jeppiaar IT FC at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital, finishing their campaign with 12 points on pole position, on Wednesday.
The opening minutes of the match witnessed an end-to-end affair as both teams tried to take an early advantage. However, Rising Student proved to be superior to Jeppiaar and did most of the attacking in the match.
In the 11th minute Sangita could have found the net for Rising Student had she not fluffed her shot from inside of the box. With Rising Student piling pressure, Jeppiaar resorted to counter-attacks and tried to catch the opposition defence off-guard.
The loggerhead was broken in the 28th minute when Jeppiaar’s custodian failed to put a strong hand to a Sasmita cross. Pyari Xaxa lurking in the box, capitalized on the howler and poked the ball into an empty net to give Rising Student a solitary goal lead.
Four minutes later, Locahana Munda’s stunner from more than 30 yards out left the opposition custodian wrong-footed and ended in the back of the net to double Rising Student’s lead.
Pyari Xaxa tripled Rising Student’s lead in the 42nd minute and put the tie to bed as the half-time scoreline read 3-0 in their favour.
Even after taking an unassailable lead, Rising Student’s Club continued to dominate the match in the second half and Pyari Xaxa came close to completing her hattrick in the 52nd minute when her half-volley was saved by the opposition custodian.
In the 68th minute Jabamani Tudu’s attempt saw the light of day as the scoreline read 4-0.
Tudu added another this time with her head, following a cross from the right flank, a minute later to makes it 5-0. In the 76th minute, Jabamani Tudu found the net once again to complete her hattrick as the scoreline read 6-0. She added another in the dying embers of the match to make it 7-0.
The full-time scoreline read the same as Rising Student’s Club registered an easy win over their opponents. Meanwhile, Jeppiaar IT FC finishes their Indian Women’s League campaign with four points out of five matches, finishing fifth in the table.
In another match, FC Pune City finished fourth in the group stage to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament.
Meanwhile, Aizawl FC did not amass any points in their maiden Indian Women’s League campaign, suffering five defeats in five matches.
Although the opening minutes of the match were a dull affair with neither Team able to make the most of its opportunities, Roja Devi’s 19th minute goal for FC Pune City multiplied the tempo of match.
FC Pune City continued to dominate the match but failed to make the most of their chances. In the 31st minute however, Laura Estibeiro’s goal from distance rattled the bar and went in to double FC Pune City’s lead over their opponents as the half-time scoreline read 2-0.
After the break, FC Pune City committed bodies in defence and played with caution to avoid any chance of conceding. FC Pune City’s forwards however played with vigor and pressed Aizawl FC in hopes of capitalizing on a defensive mistake.
In the 55th minute, Roja Devi’s curling effort from the top of the box went whiskers past the post as FC Pune City hunted for their third goal.
With Aizawl FC failing to test the FC Pune City defence, even with counter attacks, the FC Pune City custodian had a dull day, making only one save in the second half.
With both Teams stuck at loggerheads in the midfield, FC Pune City played cautious and saw out the match as they cemented their progression in the semi-finals. Dalima Chhibber added more gloss to the scoreline in the 85th minute.
12- year-old Senorita scored in the dying embers of the match as the full-time scoreline read 4-0 in FC Pune City’s favour.
