EASTERN SPORTING UNION DEFEAT ALAKHPURA TO BECOME IWL FINALIST

11 Feb 2017

AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: 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 60^th minute.

Although end-to-end ensued in the opening minutes of the match, it was Eastern Sporting Union who had better opportunities. In the 5^th 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 11^th minute, Sanju burst through the ESU defence line and Panthoi Chanu saved her shot from more than 20 yards out acrobatically. In the 17^th 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 39^th 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 48^th minute.

In the 55^th 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 70^th 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 84^th minute and the 90^th minute to quell all hopes of a comeback as the full-time scoreline read 4-1 in ESU’s favour.