Narainpur, July 19 (IANS) Diminishing score lines marked the four fixtures on the second day of the AIFF U17 Women’s Youth League 2026-27 at the RKM Football Academy in Narainpur, Chhattisgarh, on Sunday.
In Group C, Kickstart FC defeated DKR Football Academy 7-0 in the day’s first match. Group D opened with Sethu FC getting past MGM Ambush Club 6-0. Later, in the second Group C game, Nita Football Academy recorded a fluent 5-0 win over Mumbai Knights FC. HOPS FC edged past Krida Prabodhini Pune 1-0 in the last game of the day.
All 16 teams have now played at least one match at the tournament.
Kickstart FC confidently kick-started their campaign as they dominated play all through and romped home in style. After being kept at bay for the first 20-odd minutes of play, Kickstart scored three goals in the first half and then added four more to end up with a flattering scoreline.
With the DKR Football Academy defence not defending deep and playing in a high line for the best part of the match, Kickstart repeatedly fell into offside positions. But the danger of an overhead lob or a through pass to catch the defence napping was omnipresent, and Kickstart did just. Latching on to a loose ball near the centre line on the right flank, the speedy Aysha Mirhana got past a couple of defenders, barged into the box and beat the onrushing custodian Yalamancheli Pragna with a low sliding right-footer that nestled into the near post to open the scoring in the 23rd minute.
Once they forged ahead, there was no stopping Kickstart. Aysha made it 2-0 nine minutes later, placing home a pass from midfielder Cathrine Thanga. Skipper Yashica H then split the defence for winger Divya Choudhary in the 38th minute. Yalamanchali Pragna rushed out but tripped the forward, and Divya placed home the resultant penalty as they ended the first half with a 3-0 lead.
There was not much DKR FA could do against a confident defence, with goalkeeper Aparajita not being tested at all. Aysha was in the thick of it again as she ran in and tried to place, but the shot came off the bar. Divya’s effort was blocked by the goalkeeper, but Yashica placed the ball home with a rising right-footer in the 55th minute. Two minutes later, Cathrine picked up a loose ball and hit home, while Yashica added another off a cut ball from Avika Deshmukh from the right.
Kickstart dictated play and wrapped it up with Cathrine getting her second in the 90th minute after Divya had squared from the left to emerge 7-0 winners.
Sethu FC raced to a 4-0 lead within the first 18 minutes. The Madurai side went into the break with that effort and then returned to score two more in the second half to emerge 6-0 winners against MGM Ambush Club.
The side from Chhattisgarh had little to show by way of their attacks as the confident Sethu FC defence kept them out of harm’s way. The induction of the speedy and hard-working Sharda Ratre gave them some thrust, but without much support, they failed to make any impression in the attacking third.
Sethu were off to a flying start as S Dharshini took from the impressive Nemneihoi Vaiphei and slammed a rising right-footer into the top corner in the very second minute. Three minutes later, Dharshini came up with a stiff grounder, which goalkeeper Rashi Poyam blocked. Nemneihoi rolled a cutback, and Kashish came charging to find the net with a firm right-footer to double the lead.
Kashish made it 3-0 with another good effort from the top of the box. A fine move on the left saw Nemneihoi, Kashish and Nayana trade passes before the latter sent Dharshini away. The tall striker dribbled past defender Prachi Porte and placed low into the bottom far corner.
The trio of Nemneihoi, Kashish and Nayana again combined three minutes after the restart before Nayana dashed into the box. But she was tripped by Rashmi Sahu, and substitute Sujitha scored the resultant penalty.
MGM Ambush did well to defend in numbers and kept the Sethu attack at bay for long spells, but could not prevent Dharshini from setting up Nayana with an intelligent pass on the left. Nayana placed it in neatly to wrap up a 6-0 victory.
Producing a fluent brand of one-touch football, Nita FA were in control of their Group C fixture all along, with Mumbai Knights FC only having to play catch-up.
Their midfield trio of Niruta Baraghare, Maanya Gurumayum and Anchal Singh initiated a number of moves to cause problems to the Mumbai Knights’ defence. However, it was the defender Khundongbam Ambalika who hogged the limelight as she opened the scoring for them. The Knights’ defender Camrynn Fernandes tripped Deepika Kumari on the edge of the box on the left. Ambalika curled her free-kick into the centre of the goal with a measured right-footer.
The Mumbai side tried to attack from the right with the long-striding Nehchal Kaur Bright working hard. Just before the breather, she pulled a pass back for Saphapaya Lyngdoh, but her volley on the turn crashed onto the crossbar before being cleared. That’s how the first half ended.
But on resumption, Nita FA turned the match on its head, scoring three goals between the 52nd and 58th minutes, and adding another 15 minutes before close.
Deepika dribbled her way and placed home to give them a 2-0 lead before also rounding off the tally in the 74th minute with another solo effort.
In between those efforts, Ambalika curled a long lob into the top corner off a throw-in, and Niruta produced a deep run that took her past three defenders before she placed past the hapless goalkeeper Harijan Saloni Sudhir as Nita eventually wrapped up a 5-0 win.
In a match punctuated by first-time clearances, high lobs and long diagonals, movements were few and far between. Consequently, it turned out to be the lowest-scoring match of the day.
If there were goal-fetching moves, they came more from the white-attired HOPS rather than their opponents from Pune.
Divya, Kafi and captain Kanika strove hard to make clearances from the midfield or the defence more meaningful. They trapped the ball and initiated a few moves down the flanks. But their enthusiasm got the better of them at times, and they fell into offside positions frequently.
Yet, the Krida Prabodhini defence also failed to defend deep and provided opportunities for HOPS to sneak through. That was exactly what transpired when attacker Divya got on the end of a long ball, darted into the box from the right and slotted it past goalkeeper Shivika Shetty to put HOPS into the lead.
Once they had hit the front, the Delhi side virtually closed all doors for their opponents, with the defence playing an immaculate game. Goalkeeper Sonam was barely tested and only collected those stray shots that crept into the box.
–IANS
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