Biratnagar: The Indian women’s national team kicked off its campaign at the SAFF Women’s Championship with a resounding 6-0 win over Maldives at the Sahid Rangashala Stadium here Wednesday.
Dangmei Grace, Sandhiya Ranganathan, Sanju, Indumathi Kathiresan and Ratanabala Devi – all found the back of the net for India, coming into the tournament as defending champions.
The Indian team pressed forward from the first whistle, looking to seize the initiative. After a couple of close attempts in the opening exchanges, Grace put the defending champions into the lead eight minutes into the match, thanks to some fine pressing from the Indian attackers, which allowed the winger to latch on to a loose ball inside the box and slot it past the keeper.
The Indian team continued its charge to widen the gap, with the Maldives keeper forced into a couple of saves to avoid more insult.
However, she could do nothing when Ratanbala Devi slammed home India’s fifth goal of the match, which came from a direct free-kick from just outside the penalty area in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time. (PTI)
