Alakhpura and Rising Students' Union reach inaugural IWL final
IN TWO EXCITING semi-final matches played over the day, Rising Students' Union and Alakhpura FC registered their place in the history books as the participants in the first ever Indian Womens' League.
Goals from Sasmita Malik (30’) and AIFF Player of the Year 2015 Pyari Xaxa (65’) led Rising Student’s Club to a hard fought win over their opponents in a match that was largely contested in the midfield.
Rising Student’s Club started as the favourites to win the tie and proved the tag as they attacked from the whistle. In the 5th minute, Sasmita Malik came close to taking the lead when she latched onto a Pyari through ball on the flanks, but failed to score from a narrow angle.
Four minutes later, Anju Tamang failed to hit the target from inside the box as Rising Student pressed for an early goal. The early goal, however eluded Rising Student as chances upfront were often miscued, whilst FC Pune City relied on counter-attacks to test Rising Student’s citadel.
The goal however did come for Rising Student’s in the 30th minute and in a bizarre fashion when Sasmita Malik’s corner kick hit the woodwork and went in to give Rising Student’s a solitary goal lead. The half-time scoreline read 1-0.
Rising Student almost doubled their lead in the 55th minute when Anju Tamang rushed to take advantage of an onrushing opponent custodian but could only chip it over her.
In the 65th minute, Pyari Xaxa slotted her shot comfortably past the opposition custodian to double Rising Student’s lead after she latched onto a through ball from the midfield.
FC Pune City tried to break the midfield and defence of Rising Student’s Club through counter-attacks but failed to create anything substantial. With Rising Student’s Club committing bodies to defend their lead, the task became herculean for FC Pune City.
Meanwhile in the second semifinal, Eastern Sporting Union brushed aside Alakhpura FC 4-1 to set up a clash with Rising Student’s Club in the Final of the inaugural edition of the Indian Women’s League, following their win at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital today (February 11, 2017).
Strikes from Kashmina (11’) and Kamala Devi (39’, 84’,90’) led Eastern Sporting Union set up a date with destiny, against Rising Student’s Club in the Final of the Indian Women’s League on February 14, 2017, after Alakhpura pulled a goal back through Sanju in the 60th minute.
Although end-to-end ensued in the opening minutes of the match, it was Eastern Sporting Union who had better opportunities. In the 5th minute, Kamala Devi’s shot was saved by the Alakhpura custodian. However, Alakhpura also fostered some decent goal scoring chances, even though only from distance.
In the 11th minute, Sanju burst through the ESU defence line and Panthoi Chanu saved her shot from more than 20 yards out acrobatically. In the 17th minute, Kashmina gave the lead to Eastern Sporting Union when she sidestepped her marker and slotted the ball into the back of the net.
Kamala Devi doubled ESU’s lead in the 39th minute when her left footed shot from outside of the box left the Alakhpura custodian wrongfooted and crashed into the back of the net as ESU lead 2-0 at half-time.
Changing over, Kamala Devi came close to tripling ESU’s lead when her half volley was palmed away by the opposition custodian, minutes before her shot hit the woodwork in the 48th minute.
In the 55th minute, Sanju came close to reducing Alakhpura’s deficit when she ran onto goal, but with only the opposition custodian to beat, she placed her shot wide of the goal.
Alakhpura did not have to wait much longer and five minutes later, following a meele in the box, Sanju poked the ball home to makes it 2-1. Nisha had a chance to put things on level terms in the 70th minute but she failed to make a proper connection with the shot.
With Alakhpura riding high on morale, Eastern Sporting Union committed bodies into defence as their opponents started to dominate proceedings.
However Kamala Devi scored in the 84th minute and the 90th minute to quell all hopes of a comeback as the full-time scoreline read 4-1 in ESU’s favour.
The high profile final match will be played between these two clubs on 14th February.
