India women hammer 11 past Maldives in campaign opener

Aveka Singh with her Player of the Match award. Pic/AIFF’s Instagram

Hosts India began their SAFF Women's Championship campaign in style by hammering minnows Maldives 11-0 in their opener at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Monday. In a very unequal battle, India dominated possession, scoring goals at will.

Forward Aveka Singh was the star of the match, scoring four goals. It was clear that her stint with Danish, second division club, Naestved HG was paying rich dividends. Other goal scorers included, local girl, Karishma Shirvoikar (two), Priyangka Devi Naorem (two), captain Grace Dangmei, Pyari Xaxa and Sangita Basfore (one each).

The Indians dominated the first half with a spate of attacks on the Maldivian goal from the word go. Forward Priyangka Devi Naorem began the goal scoring spree when she converted a cross from the left wing in the 11 th minute. The rattled Maldivians, let the Indian forwards storm their citadel once again in the 16th minute, allowing Priyangka to make it 2-0 with a low pile driver past Fathimath Sausan, the Maldivian goalkeeper.

Tthe Indian midfield also started to get their act together, with the lanky Pyari Xaxa managing to lob the ball past Sausan in the 27th minute. This was followed by a dream free kick from forward Aveka Singh which swirled into the goal in the 33rd minute. Grace soon made it 5-0 in a goal mouth melee at half-time.

Karishma who came in as a substitute headed one home in the 53 rd minute via a neat, right wing cross. This was soon followed by a strong right footer from seasoned mid-fielder Sangita Basfore. It was raining goals after that, with Aveka scoring in the 65th, 69 th and 86th minute. Karishma too added to her tally in the 68th minute. "We are looking good on the score board, but we need to play a better game. Our players made several errors," said India coach Crispin Chettri.