Footie First (Mumbai) powered by the brilliance of striker Atisha Saini who notched up a fine hat-trick, blanked Snigmay FC (Pune) 4-0 in a fifth-round match of the WIFA Women’s Football League played at the Cooperage Football ground on Sunday. This is the qualifying tournament for the AIFF Indian Women’s Football League 2021-2022.
The opportunistic goal-scorer Atisha scored the first goal in the 16th minute and 15 minutes later netted her second goal to double Footie First lead to 2-0 at the break. In the second half, Atisha completed her hat-trick scoring the third goal in the 52nd minute before Mamta Kumari converted a penalty in the 69th minute to complete the margin of victory.
Earlier, Amma FC, Nagpur produced a strong fighting performance and managed to get the better of a determined Pacangan FC, Satara by a 2-1 margin in another fifth-round match played in the morning.
Super substitute Revati Kokare, who replaced Rinky Yadav midway through the first half was Amma FC’s star performer as she scored both goals, one on either side of the interval, to secure their win. Pacangan FC girls showed plenty of resilience and managed to stay in the fight as striker Kumari Shikalgar scored the equalising goal in the first half.
The match between Amma FC and Pacangan FC witnessed a lively contest for supremacy and there were quite a number of goalmouth thrills at the two ends.
The Nagpur side against the run of play grabbed the lead when Revati cashed in an opening to slot home the opening goal in the 37th minute. But, the Satara girls came roaring back and two minutes later Kumari booted home to help her team draw level.
After the change of ends, Revati was once again in the thick of the action and scored hers and the team's second goal to regain the lead, which they managed to hold on till the final whistle to troop out worthy winners.
Results (Rd 5)
Amma FC (Nagpur) 2 (Revati Kokare 2) bt Pacangan FC (Satara) 1 (Kumari Shikalgar); Footie First (Mumbai) 4 (Atisha Saini 3, Mamta Kumari-pen) bt Snigmay FC (Pune) 0
Aryan Pawar’s unbeaten 48 and Asles Swain’s six-wicket haul were instrumental in Pro-World Talent Cricket Academy beating Brain-4 Sports CA by three wickets in their final tie of the MCC Talent Search under-12 cricket league, organised by Jwala Sports Foundation at Santacruz’s Air India Sports Club. With this win, Pro-World boys finished third with three wins out of five. The top two, Bhosale Cricket Academy (10 points) and MCC ‘A’( 8 points) will contest the final.
Put into bat, Brain-4 Sports boys, barring opener Yagnik Dange (39), were all at sea and were bundled out for 107, with Asles Swain (6/10) claiming the bowling honours. In reply, Pro-World Talent boys too faced some anxious moments as they lost seven wickets for 81 runs before Aryan Pawar, coming at No.7, bailed them out with an unbeaten 48.
Brief scores
Brain-4 Sports 107 all out (Yagnik Dange 39; Asles Swain 6/10, Advait Bhat 2/16) lost to Pro-World Talent CA 111/7 (Shreyas Khilare 39, Aryan Pawar 48*; Aaysh Shete 2/20, Vihaan Jain 2/15) by 3 wkts
