Bengaluru, Dec 30 (PTI) Player of the Match Lynda Kom Serto scored four goals on debut while Pyari Xaxa struck a hat-trick in a span of just eight minutes as the Indian women’s football team hammered Maldives 14-0 in an international friendly here on Monday.
The demolition meant India’s newly-appointed Swedish coach, Joakim Alexandersson, began his stint on a rousing note.
Xaxa found the back of the net in the seventh, eighth, and 15th minutes, and in between assisted Lynda in the 12th in what turned out to be a goal fest for the home team at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence.
Lynda was on target in the 12th, 21st, 29th and 52nd minute in a completely lop-sided match.
The game faced a brief interruption after a linesman was attacked by bees and he was running across the pitch, forcing the players to take cover.
The incident took place in the final minute before half-time, and the match restarted after 15 minutes.
Neha too marked her debut with a brace, scoring in the 16th and 45th minute, while Kajol D’Souza also struck twice, in the 59th and 66th minute. The other goal-scorers were Sangita Basfore (51st), Sorokhaibam Ranjana Chanu (54th) and Rimpa Halder (62nd).
It was the first of the two friendly matches scheduled against the Maldives. The second game will be played at the same venue on January 2.
India led 8-0 at half time.
Alexandersson handed debuts to as many as eight players, three of whom excelled in attack, scoring eight of India’s goals in the game.
It was one of the Blue Tigresses’ biggest-ever victory margins in international football. In 2010, India defeated Bhutan 18-0 in the SAFF Championship in Bangladesh.
The rout started early in the seventh minute, with Xaxa brilliantly volleying in Lynda’s cross from the right to score India’s opener. A minute later, the Odisha forward had doubled the score, slamming the ball in after Maldives goalkeeper Aminath Leeza had parried away Basfore’s long range attempt.
Pyari turned provider in the 12th minute, her cross converted by debutant Lynda this time. In the 15th, Pyari completed her hat-trick heading in from a skipper Dangmei Grace corner kick.
A second debutant, Neha, got her first goal for the Blue Tigresses when her shot from an acute angle was spilled by the goalkeeper into the Maldives goal. Neha also provided an assist, laying a brilliant cross that split the Maldives defence for Lynda to double her tally in the game in the 21st.
By the time Lynda completed her hat-trick — just before the half hour mark — Maldives looked to have had enough. Neha added an eighth goal right at the end of the half to round off a dominating half.
The onslaught continued in the second half, and within six minutes of the restart, Basfore added a ninth and then provided a through ball that resulted in Lynda’s fourth goal to take India’s tally into double digits.
Defender Ranjana Chanu joined the scoring list with a right-footed curler from the top of the box in the 54th. Another one of the debutants, Kajol, introduced as a substitute, scored two brilliant goals, her second strike showcasing fine skill and technique to get away from the marker.
Substitute Halder got her first goal between Kajol’s strikes in the 62nd minute. PTI AH AH DDV
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