Football
India stormed into the semi-finals of the sixth SAFF Women’s Championship with a thumping 9-0 victory over the Maldives at the Dashrath Stadium, on Saturday.
Indian attacker Anju Tamang stole the limelight, striking four goals – two in each half while Grace Dangmei netted twice with Priyanka Devi, Soumya Guguloth and Kashmina each scoring.
Maldives could hardly keep up with the defending champions in the match. India, who were leading 3-0 at half time, added six more in the next 45 minutes to complete a 9-0 rout.
The Indian win also gave a semi-final berth for Bangladesh who defeated Pakistan 6-0 in the other high-scoring affair of the day. The two sides meet this Tuesday to determine the winners of the group.
India took early control of the match, constantly forcing Maldives to their toes. Brave defending, couple with some quick reflexes from Maldives captain Aminath Liza under the bars thwarted early Indian attempts at goal.
But Indian striker Anju Tamang, making amends to earlier mistakes, open the account in the 24th minute following a clever play off a short corner.
Taking a return ball from captain Ashalata Devi, Tamang curled a long ball into the box which went into the net after taking a wicked deflection of goalkeeper's hand.
Maldives showed some resistance, and even managed to keep India quiet for a while. But India changed the gears to strike twice in the space of five minutes.
Priyanka doubled their lead in the 42nd minute and Anju added another on the stroke of half time to put India 3-0 up.
India carried the tempo into the second half, adding six more to their tally.
In the 53rd minute, Grace put India 4-0 up following a clever exchange with captain Ashalata. And two minutes on, second-half substitute Soumya nodded home on a corner to make it 5-0. She almost got her double only to see her powerful shot denied by woodwork ten minutes from time.
But the Indian hunger for goals was not quenched yet, as they buried four more in seven minutes. MK Kashmina fired home from 25 yards in the 84th minute of the match and a minute later Anju extended the lead to 7-0.
Grace then beat ’keeper Liza from distance for her personal double in the 86th minute. Two minutes later, Anju scored fourth and the team's ninth on a Ranjana Chanu cross to complete the carnage.
