AIFF Media Team

NARAINPUR, CHHATTISGARH: Haryana entered the semi-finals of the 29th Senior Women's National Football Championship for the Rajmata Jijabai Trophy 2024-25 from Group B, as they thrashed Punjab 5-0 at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. 

West Bengal, who outplayed Sikkim 4-0 in the other match of the day, are in second place in the group. While Haryana currently have nine points from their all-win record from three matches, Bengal have six points from three outings.

The other team in contention for a place in the semi-finals from Group B are Railways, who have six points from three matches. On the last day of the Group B matches on December 19, Railways will play Punjab, followed by the match between Haryana and Bengal. 

Rimpa Haldar's hat-trick does the trick again for Bengal

West Bengal 4 (Sumitra Marandi 6' (P), Rimpa Haldar 35', 40', 59')
beat
Sikkim 0 

West Bengal picked up their second win as they beat Sikkim 4-0, after leading by three goals at half time. The highlight of the match was a fine hat-trick by striker Rimpa Haldar, her second of the tournament.

Sumitra Marandi's spot-kick gave Bengal the early lead in the 6th minute. In the 35th minute, Rimpa Haldar made a long run inside the box and dribbled past three defenders to slot the ball home. Five minutes later, Rimpa scored her second goal as she received a long ball from the left and unleashed a left footer from just inside the box to beat the Sikkim goalkeeper Gyurme Tamang.

Rimpa completed her second hat-trick of the championship in the 59th minute when Mousumi Murmu passed the ball from the right and she flicked it in perfectly to wrap it up for Bengal. 

Haryana hammer hapless Punjab 

Punjab 0 
lost to 
Haryana 5 (Aarti 8', Pooja 23', 59', Naketa 69', Neha 87')

Haryana dominated Punjab with a 5-0 victory, and moved to the top position in Group B. The deadlock was broken early in the eighth minute when Aarti headed home a Neha corner kick.

Following that, the floodgates opened for Haryana as they another before the breather and three more thereafter. Pooja curled the ball beautifully into the net in the 23rd minute, and she later scored again in the 59th minute with a perfectly placed shot from an open position inside the box. Naketa added to the tally by scoring off a header from Aarti's cross in the 69th minute. The final goal of the day came through Neha in the 87th minute, who struck with her left foot to complete the rout.