India defeat Sri Lanka 5-0

Yasaratne GAMAGE

Defending champions India defeated hosts, Sri Lanka by 5-0 in the fifth game of the SAFF Women’s Football Championships yesterday at CR and FC. Suprava Samal gave her team the lead in the 17 minute while six minutes later Salam Rinaroy Devi made it 2-0 with a powerful shot outside the box.

Indian showed better football skills than the hosts but missed a couple of chances during the first half. It was a disastrous second half for Sri Lankan lasses as India went onto score another three goals in five minutes. Devi struck for the second time after the break by taking advantage of poor defense of Sri Lankans in the 51st minute.

Two minutes later Pinky Bompal netted the fourth goal for India while Devi booted her third goal to seal it a tally of five goals for the defending champions.

The big lead they had seemed slowed down their hunt for goals as Indians missed some good opportunities to add another few goals. They will take on Bhutan in their final group ‘A’ match. Earlier India defeated Bangladesh 3-0 in their first match on Friday.

Today Nepal will take on Maldives in the morning while Pakistan will play against Afganistan in the afternoon at the same venue in another group ‘B’ two matches.

On Saturday Maldives held Afghanistan for a 1-1 draw in another group ‘B’ match in the first round. Both teams scored goals in the fist half. Afganistan took the lead in the second minute of the game but Maldives equlized in the 30th minute. Hailal Argharndial scored for Afganistan and Afza Fathimath equalized for Maldives.

Nepal in a goal rain outclassed Pakistan on the same day by 8-0. In the fisrt half Nepal scored five goal with captain Jamuna Gurinung scoring three goals . In the second half they added another three with the captain collecting another goal under her name.

Jamuna Gurung (Captain) - 9th, 32nd, 34th and 44th minutes - Anu Lama (16th and 51st minutes) – Sajana Rana (42nd minutes) - Dipa Adikari (72nd minutes) scored goals for Nepal.