Mumbai Knights FC rode on the brilliant hat-trick from sharpshooter Priyanka to charge to a facile 7-0 win against Footie First FC in the Maharashtra state women’s football league match played at the Cooperage football ground, on Sunday.
The champions will qualify for the AIFF Indian Women’s Football League.
Earlier, Aspire Football Club romped to a comfortable 4-0 win against Lawless United to make a positive start. Aspire FC scored their goals through Archana Bhaladhare (36th min), Puja Karmakar (51st min), Vaishnavi Barate (57th min), and Gita Das (87th min).
Priyanka showed her fine shooting skills by hitting the target in the 18th minute to open the scoring for the Mumbai Knights, who were dominant from the outset. There was no looking back for Knights as five minutes later Ritika Goveas doubled the lead and junior international Mmehak Lobo added the third in the 28th minute. Footie First came under tremendous pressure and they conceded the fourth goal when their defender Virati Gutka deflected the ball into her own goal in the 38th minute before Mmehak once again found the back of the net, for her second goal in the third minute of additional time and Knights went into the break with a commanding 5-0 lead.
In the second period Footie First did well to contain the marauding Knights attackers, but their resistance was dented in the final moments when Priyanka in scored twice in as many minutes just before the final whistle.
Results: Mumbai Knights FC 7 (Priyanka 3, MMehak Lobo 2, Ritika Goveas, Virati Gutka-OG) beat Footie First, Mumbai 0.
Aspire Football Club 4 (Archana Bhaladhare, Puja Karmakar, Vaishnavi Barate 57, Gita Das 87) beat Lawless United 0.