Delhi beat Chandigarh at women national football meet

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Chandigarh, May 4

Delhi scraped past Chandigarh to register their first victory at the 28th Senior Women’s National Football Championship for Rajmata Jijabai Trophy Final Round Group A at Kolkata.

With the score tied at 0-0 at half-time, Delhi came out of the blocks quickly and some smart play on the wing by Raziya Khan resulted in her sending a dangerous low ball across the face of the goal. Jyoti’s patient wait at the far post paid off as she received the ball and placed it over the goal line. Delhi now stand fourth in the group with three points.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu and Railways move to the top of Group A, both having garnered six points apiece. The former are ahead on goal difference. Tamil Nadu defeated West Bengal.

The team had a good start to the match, as Sandhiya P (14th) and Priyadharshini S (19th) scored two early goals. Priyadharshini turned provider in the 79thminute, when she found Sandhiya Ranganathan with a delicately threaded ball between the Bengal lines, as the latter glided her shot past the keeper, and into the bottom corner. Iswarya made it four in injury time-off.

Railways defeated Punjab 3-1. Railways came back from a goal down to defeat Punjab. Nisha (2nd minute) netted an early goal for Punjab, that set the tempo of the game for the first half. Punjab kept last season’s semifinalists at bay for a little over half an hour, before the comeback began.

Naobi Chanu Laishram brought Railways back into level terms in the 37th minute when she scored off a cross by Sanju, as the two teams trudged off with the scores reading 1-1 at the break.

Railways’ experienced midfielder Kamala Devi came into her own in the second half when she secured the victory for her side.

She put her side in the lead in the 76th minute, receiving a pass from Kunti Kumari Lakra, before she side-stepped her marker at the edge of the box and curled a left-footer into the bottom corner.