Odisha Police 0-12 Gokulam Kerala FC
Defending champions Gokulam Kerala FC began their Hero Indian Women’s League (HIWL) title defence in thumping fashion scoring a dozen goals over Odisha Police to win 12-0 on Saturday (April 16, 2022). India international Manisha Kalyan led the rampage from the front scoring five, while also providing a couple of assists.
Odisha Police began the game positively and held their defence strongly against a barrage of Gokulam Kerala attacks. However, the defending champions eventually found a breakthrough in the 17th minute via Manisha Kalyan who poked the ball past goalkeeper Sanjukta Tirkey to open the scoring.
In the 24th minute, Manisha scored another from close range to make it 2-0.
Immediately after the restart, Myanmar international Win Tun with her sheer pace rounded the Odisha Police goalkeeper to make it 3-0, handing complete charge of the game to Gokulam.
Meanwhile, Manisha went on to net her third at the half-hour mark from a Soumya Guguloth assist. In a quick-fire addition, Dangmei Grace scored from a tap-in before Kalyan made it 6-0 right before the half-time whistle.
Changing over, GKFC added a seventh through a Madhusmita own goal in the 47th minute. Substitute Elshaddai put up an electric performance after coming on — as she found the back of the 62nd minute, before unselfishly letting young sensation Karishma Shirvoikar score in the 76th minute.
Ranjana Chanu, too, hopped on to score after finding the back of the net with a solo finish.
On the other hand, in red-hot form, Manisha Kalyan scored her fifth with an equally brilliant assist from Dalima Chhibber, and then Elshaddai sealed the fate of the match in the 85th minute to make it 12-0.
Sethu FC 6-1 Mata Rukmani FC
Former Hero Indian Women’s League (HIWL) champions Sethu FC ran riot against debutants Mata Rukmani FC with a 6-1 victory in their season opener.
The Madurai based side started well as they found the back of the net twice in the first seven minutes of the game itself. Elizabeth Katunga opened the scoring, followed by Indian international Anju Tamang who doubled the lead.
Within the first quarter of the game, the former champions made their intent very clear. They continued to dominate across the field as they increased the lead in the 15th minute with a goal from Mariyammal, finishing off a move initiated by Anju.
Sethu’s domination was too tough to handle for the rivals, and as they struggled to control the momentum.
The 4th and the 5th goals came in the 22nd and the 24th minutes respectively with Sanju and Lalrampari finding the back of the net.
Changing over, it was quite a task for Rukmani to overturn as they were 0-5 down. The debutants, however, introduced some fresh pairs of legs but it didn’t change the script much.
After the hour mark, Sethu continued to press and create havoc with their players entering the rival box almost at will. That led to their 6th goal – Renu poking it in from close range in the 70th.
Rukmani managed to pull a consolation goal in the 79th minute with Reet Kashyap rushing in behind the Sethu defence to put it in.
ARA FC 1-3 Odisha Sports
Odisha Sports came back from behind to register a 3-1 victory over ARA FC in their Hero Indian Women’s League (HIWL) opening match on Saturday (April 16, 2022).
Odisha Sports looked composed in the first quarter of the game, enjoying a 65% ball possession against ARA FC’s 35%. Forward Satyabati Khadia twice came close to scoring before the half-hour mark, but couldn’t convert in the final third.
However, it was ARA FC who found the first breakthrough when forward Anju won the ball in a dangerous area and took a glorious shot from long range to catch the rival goalkeeper by surprise.
After switching sides, both teams pressed well, sharing an equal number of goalscoring opportunities.
Odisha Sports equalised in the 53rd minute when Satyabati’s effort was converted from a close range by Pyari Xaxa to make it 1-1.
In the 65th minute, Odisha Sports brought on Malati Munda to replace Subhadra Sahoo. In the 75th minute, they came close to taking the lead when Satyabati delivered a delightful cross to Pyari Xaxa in the box only for the forward to shoot it agonisingly wide off the crossbar.
However, in the 79th minute, Pyari made amends to put Odisha Sports in the lead. The forward penetrated through the ARA FC defence and plunged a shot past goalkeeper Poonam to make it 2-1.
Jasoda Munda went on to make it 3-1 with a cool-headed finish in added time to seal the fate of the match.
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