Defending champions Sethu FC and Manipuri side KRYPHSA FC won their Group A fixtures comfortably on the opening day of the Hero Indian Women’s League 2019-20.
MATCH 1: Group A: KRYPHSA FC 4-0 Kickstart FC
[Dangmei Grace 15’, 36’, Anju Tamang 19’, Ratanbala Devi 64’]
On a rather bright afternoon at the Bangalore Football Stadium, Dangmei Grace almost scored with a chip in the 11th minute – it was a sign of things to come. Playing on the right flank, the Indian international was unplayable and combined well with Anju Tamang and Ratanbala Devi.
Kangchup Road Young Physical & Sports Association took the lead in the 15th minute after Grace latched on to a through ball and finished in the top corner. Minutes later Anju Tamang got on the scoresheet to double the lead.
Late in the first half, Grace was through onto goal and it looked like she would get her hat-trick when she collided with the onrushing Kickstart FC goalkeeper Rashmi Kumari. Both players had to be substituted after the incident.
The second half was more or less a repeat of the first half, but for the lack of the same amount of goals. The local side Kickstart FC forayed into the opposition half on a few occasions, but the Indian international defender Sweety Devi and the excellent goalkeeper Linthoingambi Devi kept them in check.
Ratanbala Devi scored the fourth in the 64th to seal the win and three points for KRYPHSA FC.
MATCH 2: Group A: FC Kolhapur City 0-5 Sethu FC
[Amsavalli 18’, Sandhiya 61’, 66’, 90+2’, Sumithra 64’]
Defending champions Sethu FC put up a five star performance to ease past FC Kolhapur City – that being said, they could’ve easily scored more.
Amsavalli who was subbed in early in the first half for N.V. Santhiya helped Sethu take the lead in the 18th minute. While Sethu dominated the proceedings, they went into the half-time break leading by a solitary goal.
Sandhiya got herself a hat-trick in the second half, but the Indian international could’ve easily got a hatful, but the lack of clinical finishing and good shot-stopping from the Kolhapur keeper Shreya Hooda helped keep the score down.
The Sethu midfielder Sumithra controlled the game from midfield and setup her teammates in front of goal on countless occasions with her calm control of the ball and defence splitting passes. Eventually, she got on the scoresheet in the 64th minute after rounding the ball past the keeper.
FC Kolhapur City were extremely naive in defence in today’s late afternoon kick-off and for a period in the second half, it looked like they had given up all hope. They tried to show some grit in attack but the Indian National team captain Ashalata Devi and Jabamani Tudu shut the door on them with ease.
With Sethu FC toying with the opposition and KRYPHSA FC’s comprehensive win earlier in the day, the two teams look most likely to progress into the semis from Group A.
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