Harpal Singh Bedi

New Delhi: Gokulam Kerala trounced SSB Club 5-0 for their third straight win while Panjim Footballers piped FC Alakhpura 2-1 to record their first win of the Hero Indian Women’s Football League Season in Ludhiana on Thursday.

 Gokulam Kerala ‘s Anju Tamang was the star of the show, as she scored a brace, and played a crucial role in her side’s big victory.

Gokulam started the game off swiftly, as they broke the deadlock straight from the kick-off. An intricate move was finished off by India international Anju Tamang. The entire move took Gokulam just 14 seconds, which makes this the fastest goal of the season.

Gokulam, sealed who put the doubts to bed, when Anita Rawat scored minutes before the half time break. Sanju soared up the left flank and sent in a low cross that was tapped in by Rawat.

Kerala side started off in almost exactly the same fashion in the second half as well, when they got the ball from SSB, registered a shot on target from Ranjana Chanu, and watched in delight as the opposition keeper Manju fumbled the ball over the goal-line.

Bawitlung Vanlalhriattiri made it four with a little over a quarter of an hour of regulation time left on the clock. The second half substitute was played through on goal, as she rounded off the keeper, sold a dummy and walked the ball into an unguarded goal.

Tamang added another goal in the second-last minute of regulation time to make it another 5-goal victory for the Kerala side.

In other match  Panjim Footballers overpowered FC Alakhpura 2-1 in a tight affair

Karishma Shirvoikar broke the Alakhpura defence twice to help PAnjim earn the three points, but it was the tactical defence of Scindia Saudatikar that stole the show and earned the defender the Player of the Match Award.

Karishma Shirvoikar beat the Alakhpura offside trap, ran on to an aerial ball that was played in behind the defence, and slipped it past the Alakhpura keeper Neelam to put Panjim in the lead.

Having taken the lead, Panjim were happy to sit back and let Alakhpura have the ball, while they concentrated on keeping their defensive shape intact.

Keeping their backline strong was a strategy that worked wonders for Panjim, who had conceded three in their previous match against Hans Women FC.

It took them a little over 10 minutes after the start of the second half to double the score. Again, it was an aerial ball played in behind the defence, as Karishma ran on to the ball and lobbed it over the keeper.

Alakhpura  reduced the margin  as India U-18 International Samiksha expertly nodded the ball home.