Rising Students thrash Aizawl in opening IWL clash; pitch condition raises concerns
THE INAUGURAL GAME of the first ever Indian Womens' League (final stage) ended with Odisha's Rising Students FC getting a compelling 6-1 win over the Aizawl FC womens' team.
In the early morning kick-off held on an excessively muddy and wet pitch at Delhi's Ambedkar Stadium, the game saw both sets of players struggle to stay on their feet as the slippery surface hindered their free movement with the ball throughout the game.
But the action saw goals galore. Early in the 8th minute Elizabeth put Aizawl FC ahead. Rising Students players were quick to recover and press back and 5 minutes later they had their equalizer, with Anju Taman getting her name on the scoresheet.
From here on it was constant pressure from Rising Students. 23 minutes into the game, Pyari netted an attractive finish, putting them in the lead. Sasmita Malik also joined the party 41 minutes in, making sure it was 3-1 at half-time.
In the second half the dominant team picked up where they left off and though Aizawl put up some initial resistance, Sasmita Malik cam through with a beautiful floater from the distance that beat the keeper's extended hand and found the net.
There was little chance for Aizawl FC to make a comeback from this point but Rising Students weren't done rubbing it in. Anju Tamang sent in a scorcher that put them 5-1 ahead minutes before the final whistle, and in the last minute of regulation time Sasmita Malik completed her hat-trick bringing the final score to 6-1.
While the game itself was a fitting spectacle to begin the competition with, the state of the pitch - partly due to rains and partly a result of negligence - lays bare the lack of proper planning from the organizers. What's worse, the Ambedkar Stadium is set to host matches every day; including all IWL games and the home fixtures of 2nd Division clubs Sudeva FC and Hindustan FC. As the days go by the state of the surface is likely to worsen, increasing injury risk for the players.
