Manipur, Bengal storm into final

By Our Sports Reporter

GURUSAR SADHAR (LUDHIANA), MAY 25. Defending champion Manipur cruised into the final riding on a brace by international Th. Tababi as it defeated Bihar 5-0 in the ninth Senior National Women's Football championship at the Guru Hargobind Singh Khalsa College here on Friday.

The six-time champion will meet Bengal, which streamrolled past Maharashtra 6-0 in the first semifinal, in the summit clash on Sunday. All the titles so far have been shared by these two teams and after Friday's display, the eastern States once again confirmed their dominance in women's soccer.

One-sided contests were witnessed in both the semifinals as the losing teams could hardly match their superior opponents, which had the luxury of several international players on its side.

Mid-fielder R. K. Sulochana opened the account for Manipur when she fired a free-kick from just outside te 30-yard mark. Bihar goal-keeper Rinky failed to collect the curving shot in the fifth minute of the game. S. Rani put Manipur further ahead when she shot a blinder from about 50 yards in the eighth minute.

Striker Sh. Shanti made a good run from the right flank in the 30th minute and took a very acute angle and the hapless Rinky fumbled under the bar allowing Manipur to build the lead at regular intervals.

Shanti was again at the centre of action as she made a solo run from the right flank after getting a clear ball in the Bihar half. Shanti took it almost to the goalmouth where she had a defender and goalkeeper to beat. Sensing that the move may go waste, she pushed the ball to the left where an alert Tababi touched it in the 37th minute. Manipur led 4-0 at the half-time.

The second half lacked much action and the play was restricted to the middle. Tababi got an easy chance in the 76th minute on a pass from N. Malemnganbi Devi and she made it look easy as Manipur won 5-0.

Bengal women dominated throughout, though Maharashtra put up a brave face by going in for an aggressive play early. Maharashtra controlled the first 10 minutes of the game, but, that was all. Its Goan recruits, Maria Rebello and Grace Pererra fought stoutly but without much support from others. Soon as the Bengal raiders upped the momentum, Maharashtra's defence fell apart.

Bengal star Rinku Ghosh drew the first blood in the 11th minute off a pass she received from the right flank. Rinku was unmarked and she slotted in easily. Playmaker Sujata Kar increased the lead in the 19th minute on a rebound after the Bengal skipper found herself in the shooting range when Maharashtra goal-keeper Niyati Lokur failed to collect a rasping shot from Sayanti Nandi.

She put Bengal in a position of strength through a good solo run from the middle in the 30th minute. Her effort was complimented by Rinku a minute later (31st) as Bengal went on the rampage.

Bengal, which have been National winners twice since the championship started nine years ago, made its intentions clear just before the whstle went out for the half-time. Rinku was again at the centre of attraction as she collected a pass from Jayanti Barua and pushed the ball in the right corner for 5- 0 lead.

It was an abject surrender by Maharashtra, which initially had shown some degree of fighting ability. Once Bengal scored the first one, four more goals came in the next 24 minutes.

Having virtually pocketed the match by the breather, Sujata Kar rested herself in the second half and that helped Maharashtra to stop the Bengal's goal-scoring spree. The play got confined to the midfield and only in the 79th minute did right- winger Sayanti Nandi find the net from a close range.

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