By Navaneeth K
VIET TRI CITY, VIETNAM: The India U-20 Women’s National Team made it two wins from two in Group F of the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers Round 1 with a solid 6-0 victory over Indonesia at the Viet Tri Stadium in Viet Tri City, Vietnam on Thursday, March 9, 2023.
Similar to their opening-day 7-0 success over Singapore, India were able to build their rhythm from the get-go. Maymol Rocky’s girls scored three goals in each half to seal another dominating win and remain top of the table with six points and a positive goal difference of 13.
Scorecard
Indonesia U-20 Women 0
lost to
India U-20 Women 6 (Neha 4′, 21′, Kajol Dsouza 45′, Apurna Narzary 56′, Sumati Kumari 74′, 90+1′)
Rocky made three changes from the first match — Hemam Shilky Devi replacing Linda Chanu at centre-back, Lisham Babina Devi in for Martina Thokchom in midfield, while Neha started in place of Sumati Kumari on the left wing.
India’s first big chance came as early as the third minute when captain Apurna Narzary slammed a left-footed strike onto the post. Neha, however, would open the scoring in the very next minute, easily tapping in a cutback from Anita Kumari on the right.
The duo combined again to double India’s advantage. Anita drilled another low cross from the right, which evaded everyone to fall perfectly in Neha’s path. She slammed it into the roof of the net.
After a couple of tap-ins, Neha could have had her hat-trick with some brilliant individual play. She skipped past two challenges on the edge of the box before dinking the ball over the keeper, but it came off the far post.
It was 3-0 at the stroke of half-time. Apurna raced to the by-line before cutting it back for midfielder Kajol Dsouza, who was arriving into the box at full pace. Kajol unleashed a solid first-time effort into the bottom corner for her second goal in as many games.
-AIIF report and photos
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India trounce Singapore in AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers
