Defending champions PIFA Sports (Colaba) FC and strong contenders Mumbai Knights FC both recorded identical 6-0 victories from their respective 4-team play-off league matches of the Maharashtra State women’s football league played at the Cooperage football ground, Sunday. The champions of this competition will qualify for the AIFF Indian Women’s Football League.
Mumbai Knights defender Afreen Peerbhoy (left) controls the ball as she tries to get past a couple of Kenkre FC players
PIFA Sports combined perfectly as a team and powered by prolific goal-scorer Sasmita Behera’s fine hat-trick they dominated play to hand Warrior of Kolhapur a crushing 6-0 defeat. In the second match, opportunistic goal-scorer Valencia D’Mello scored two goals to steer Mumbai Knights to a 6-0 win against Kenkre FC.
Mamta Kumari provided PIFA Sports with a positive start scoring the opening goal in the seventh minute. Seven minutes later PIFA’s dashing striker Sasmita scored the first, of her three goals, in the 14th minute. In the very next minute Rakhee Sawant added the third goal to give PIFA a solid 3-0 cushion.
In the second half, Sasmita scored two more goals in the 62nd and 74th minutes to complete her hat-trick and the margin of victory. In between, PIFA Sports captain Karen Pais scored the fifth goal in the 64th minute.
Mumbai Knights encountered a bit of resistance from Kenkre FC initially and had to wait till the 18th minute to open the account with consistent scorer Priyanka hitting the target in the 18th minute before Alexandra Marie Eccard doubled the lead in the 24th minute. Velanie Fernandes struck Mumbai Knights third goal in the 42nd minute and helped them take a 3-0 half-time lead.
In the second session, Jahnavi Shetty netted the fourth goal in the 75th minute before opportunistic goal-scorer Valencia scored two quick goals in the 76th & 78th minutes to seal their handsome margin of victory.
Results: Mumbai Knights 6 (Priyanka 18th min, Alexandra Marie Eccard 24th min, Velanie Fernandes 42nd min, Jahnavi Shetty 75th min, Valencia D’Mello 76th min, 78th min) beat Kenkre FC 0.
PIFA Sports (Colaba) FC 6 (Mamta Kumari 7th min, Sasmita Behera 14th min, 62nd min & 74th min, Rakhee Sawant 15th min, Karen Pais 64th min) beat Warrior of Kolhapur 0.