Karnataka record second straight win

KSFA Media 

Karnataka defeated Assam 3-1 in the group league match of the 27th Senior National Women’s football championship at the Bangalore Football Stadium here on Friday. In the first game of the day played in morning at the same venue, Gujarat drubbed Bihar 3-0 thanks to striker Khushbu Saroj, who earned the distinction of scoring the first hat-trick of the tournament. Khushbu also scored the lone goal for Gujarat in their first game against Karnataka. 

Karnataka now have six points from two games having defeated Gujarat earlier in their first match. They still have engagements against Manipur, Kerala, and Bihar to be gone through. But today’s win all but assures them of a top two finish and further advancement in the tournament.

After wingers Sonia Marak on the left and Sanjita Niroula on the right had caused some problems in the opponent defence, Karnataka forged ahead in the 9th minute through a set piece situation. Sonia Marak got past two but was brought down at the edge of the box on the right by Puja Saikia. Striker Maiteryi Palasumudram took the award and produced a curling left-footer that settled into the top near post in what was a wonderful effort.

Barely five minutes later, it was 2-0 as Sanjita Niroula squared the ball into the box from the right. A melee ensued inside the six-yard box and Sonia Marak was on hand to push it home from close. After wrapping up a 2-0 lead, Karnataka relaxed a little. That saw Assam force the pace and see a lot more of the ball, but their strikers lacked the speed to trouble the solid Karnataka defence where Tara and Aruna were hard to beat. Goalkeeper and captain Aishwarya too did a good job of producing timely saves despite her lack of some inches and kept Assam at bay.

Soon after the breather, Karnataka struck once again as Sanjita Niroula produced a rising right-footer from the right which brooked no answer. Thereafter, Karnataka were content to keep the ball among themselves with short passes and the occasional scoring attempt travelled wide or over.

Assam managed to pull one back three minutes before close as Kiranbala Chanu dashed in to find the net to lend some respectability to the scoreline in their first outing of the tournament. 

Maitreyi nets six as Karnataka rout Gujarat

KSFA Media 

Hosts Karnataka got off to a rollicking start as they trounced Gujarat 9-1 at the KSFA Stadium as the group stage of the 27th Senior Women's National Football Championships got underway here on Wednesday.

In the morning session, Manipur defeated Bihar 5-0. Salam Bina Roy Devi scored three goals while Lynda Kom netted twice for Manipur.

Gujarat gave Karnataka an early fright as they came close to scoring within the first six minutes. Dinsha Patel sprinted into the box but was tackled in time by stopper Aruna Bag at the expense of an abortive corner. 

But Karnataka virtually steamrolled their opponents after that let off. They indulged in a fast-paced game and ran Gujarat off their feet and scored at will to wrap up a 8-0 before half time.

Their tall striker Maitreyi Palasundaram struck five goals while Kaviya Pakkirisamy netted twice and Monalisa Marandi found the net once in the first half itself.

It was the diminutive left winger Sonia Marak who played a very decisive and unselfish role in Karnataka's goal-scoring acts. She provided passes on a platter for Maitreyi to finish off with aplomb. Once of course the Gujarat team made a blunder as wing back Priyanka Bhil rolled the ball across after getting it from goalkeeper Tanvi Mavani but Maitreyi got to it and filled an empty net. But for some daring saves by Tanvi, Gujarat might have conceded more goals.

Karnataka's dominance continued in the second half as the Gujarat defence found the attack too sharp and hot to handle. But Karnataka took things easy and did not force the pace. They managed to score one more when Maiteryi netted another in injury time of the second half. Gujarat, earlier, pulled one back when Khushbu Saroj found the target with a neat finish. But they could do little more.