Hosts Assam began their campaign at the U-17 Women’s National Football Championship with a bang by thrashing Pondicherry 6-1 in their Group G encounter at Dimakuchi Stadium on Tuesday.
Left winger Anjuli Brahma (34’, 45+1’, 68’, 83’) was the most dangerous on the day as she scored four goals to take her team to the top of the group.
Assam No. 10 Sonam Dutta (33’, 57’) was also at her attacking best as she netted a brace. Sivaranjani M (48’) pulled one back for Pondicherry early in the second half, but Assam dominated the match to take all three points.
In another Group G fixture, Haryana rode a hat-trick from Kalpna (3’, 37’, 88’) to beat Gujarat 5-1 and take the second spot on the group table.
The other four matches on Tuesday did not prove to be goal-fests unlike the ones in Group G.
In a Group B match at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, Mizoram failed to register a victory and were held 1-1 by Chhattisgarh. Zonuntluangi gave the northeast side the lead in the 23rd minute and while they dominated the majority of the tie, Payal Kawasi pegged the Chhattisgarh girls back in the game with her 88th minute equaliser.
In the other Group B game, Karnataka beat Uttar Pradesh with a solitary strike from Treia Menon (56’). The other group that opened the campaign on the day was Group D.
In the morning fixture of the group at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium practice ground, Arunachal Pradesh beat Sikkim 2-0 with goals from Yumlam Lali (28’) and Angel Tayang (58’) while Goa and Himachal Pradesh played a goalless draw in the afternoon.
