Maharashtra team for AIFF Senior Women’s football championship.
Maharashtra conceded two goals at the death and lost rather tamely 0-4 to fancied Haryana in their second round Group-B match of the AIFF 27th Senior Women National Football Championship 2022-2023, played at the GNDU ground, Amritsar, Punjab on Sunday.
Haryana striker Renu Rani broke the Maharashtra resistance with a fine effort in the 34th minute. She again bulged the Maharashtra net scoring the second goal in the third minute of the second half to double the lead. Later, Santosh S. converted a penalty in the 86th minute and Ritu Singh fired home the fourth goal in the third minute of the additional period to complete the win for the northern outfit, according to information received.
Maharashtra women played with plenty of gumption and put up quite a strong challenge against the stronger and energetic Haryana women. In contrast the Haryana outfit played to their strengths and cashed in on the chances that came their way to run away with the match.
The Haryana attackers finally tasted success when Renu beat Maharashtra goalkeeper Anjali Barke in the 34th minute to give her team a slender 1-0 half-time lead.
Immediately on resumption, Renu showed good finishing touch to once again beat goalkeeper Barke to put Haryana in a commanding position with a 2-0 lead. Despite conceding those two goals, Maharashtra fought on gamely and had their share of chances but failed to convert the opportunities, which proved to be their undoing.
Haryana added more frustration on the opposition as they scored two more goals when Santosh successfully scored from a penalty awarded in the 85th minute and deep into stoppage time Ritu hammered in the final goal and sealed the big margin of victory.
In other group matches, Manipur got the better of West Bengal by a fighting 3-2 margin while Railways defeated Himachal Pradesh 7-1.
Result: Maharashtra 0 lost to Haryana 4 (Renu Rani 34th & 48th mins, Santosh S. 86th min-P, Retu Rani 90+3rd min).