EASTERN SPORTING UNION MAKE IT FOUR IN FOUR

02 Apr 2018

By Arka Dyuti Palit

AIFF Media Team

SHILLONG: Eastern Sporting Union kept their 100% record intact with a 2-0 victory over Gokulam Kerala FC in the Hero Indian Women’s League at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here in Shillong today (April 2, 2018).

Mandakini opened the scoring in the first half with her strike in the 24^th minute before Kamala Devi doubled the lead after the break in the 50^th minute. The win took Eastern Sporting to 12 points from 4 matches.

Eastern Sporting Union came into the match on back of three victories while Gokulam Kerala FC thumped Indira Gandhi ASE 6-1 in their previous encounter. Both teams started off on a positive note, putting the ball into each other’s boxes.

Gokulam won a couple of corners with ESU’s Kamala combining with Prameshwori to have a go at the goal. The breakthrough came in the 24^th minute when Mandakini struck from outside the box. Her shot from 30 yards out finding the far post corner.

Kamala had a chance to double the lead in the 29^th but her shot was blocked as Gokulam found it difficult to get the ball forward. Fazila made a run into the box in the 31^st but was unable to find the net. A serious injury to Naocha in the 42^nd minute made her leave the field on a stretcher as the half ended 1-0 in Eastern’s favour.

The 2^nd half saw ESU doubling their lead as Kamala Devi struck in the 50^th minute. Her curling left footer making it 2-0 for the reigning champions. Meanwhile, at the other end Fazila was unable to show her usual set of skills as Umapati Devi and Manisa Panna kept her under check.

Frustrations rising, the Ugandan lost her cool as she elbowed Sweety in the face to earn a yellow card in the 62^nd. Umapati clearly had the striker under control as she made crucial interceptions to stop her supply line.

Apart from a save by Rashmi to deny Kamala in the 77^th no other noteworthy chances were created as Eastern Sporting Union notched up their fourth consecutive win to top the table.

Eastern Sporting Union will next face KRYHPSA on the April 6 while Gokulam will square off against India Rush SC on April 6.