Kalpana stars in TN’s big win

The Hindu

FLYING HIGH: Tamil Nadu skipper R. Kalpana scored three goals as her team blanked Telengana 8-0. Photo: M. Srinath

Skipper Kalpana netted thrice as Tamil Nadu eased past Telangana 8-0 in a South Zone leg league fixture of the 21st senior National women’s football championship here on Wednesday.

Tamil Nadu scored as many as five goals in the first half. Sumithra opened the account for the host scoring off a corner-kick by Muthuselvi in the 11th minute.

Abarna headed in another corner-kick by Muthuselvi six minutes later. Ranjitha (35th), Kalpana (36th) and Sumithra (38th) netted in quick succession to put Tamil Nadu in a comfortable position at half-time.

Tamil Nadu kept probing the rival defence in the second session as well. Kalpana increased the lead in the 66th and Nandhini made it 7-0 in the 75th. Kalpana scored again in the 83rd to complete the tally.

Hat-trick by Nikhila

In another match, skipper Nikhila’s hat-trick was the highlight of Kerala’s 4-0 win over Karnataka. Kerala held the upper hand from the start and its forwards kept the opponent goalkeeper Crystal Ann Pinto on her toes.

Nikhila and Athulya, who were moving dangerously in the rival area, came close to scoring on more than a few occasions but Pinto made some good saves. The teams went into the break at 0-0.

Nikhila broke the deadlock in the 48th, when her left-footer found the back of the net. She scored two more goals in the next 11 minutes to give Kerala a 3-0 advantage. Fasna netted off a cross from Athulya in the dying minutes of the match as Kerala went on to register its second successive win.

On Friday, Puducherry will meet Telangana, while Kerala takes on Tamil Nadu.

The results (league):

Tamil Nadu 8 (Sumithra 11 & 38, Abarna 17, Ranjitha 35, Kalpana 36, 66 & 83, Nandhini 75) bt Telangana 0. Kerala 4 (Nikhila 48, 52 & 59, Fasna 89) bt Karnataka 0.