Guwahati (Assam): Striker Sumaiyya Shaikh notched up a fine hat-trick as Maharashtra (WIFA) launched their campaign with a bang, defeating Tripura FA 6-0 in the opening Group F league match of the AIFF Junior (U-17) Women’s National Football Championship-2022 on Saturday.
Sumaiyya’s teammates Purva Gaikwad, Ritika Singh and Aarti Katkar all contributed a goal each to complete WIFA’s winning tally in the match played at the LNIPE-Sonapur ground here.
In other matches played on Saturday, Delhi defeated Telangana 3-0, the Football Association of Odisha overcame Chandigarh 3-1 while Bihar thrashed Meghalaya 15-1.
Maharashtra’s opportunistic goal-scorer Sumaiyya rocked the Tripura goal with her first strike in the 14th minute. The Tripura girls fought on gamely and defended well to restrict WIFA to a 1-0 half-time advantage.
However, after switching ends, WIFA broke the Tripura resistance, scoring five times during the second session. Sumaiyya scored her second in the 56th minute and completed her hat-trick in the 75th minute. In between those two goals, Purva Gaikwad added the third goal in the 69th minute before Ritika Singh struck in the 71st minute for the fourth goal. Aarti Katkar fired home the sixth in the additional period.
(IANS)
