New Delhi: The Manipur football team defeated Railways to win their 21st Senior Women’s National Football Championship 2021 title at the EMS Stadium in Kozhikode, Kerala.
Manipur kick-started the intense match but failed to score in the 9th minute. The Railways put up a strong defense against their opponent.
Though Railways and Manipur received a free kick each, they failed to score for the respective teams. The first half ended with no scores from either team.
The 2nd half began with Manipur goalkeeper Roshni Devi tactfully saving shots by Tara Khatoon. Manipur possessed the ball and dominated the match but failed to break through the defense by their opponents. Meanwhile, Railways suffered penalties due to faulty shots and could not score a point.
The pressure increased for both teams when the match converted into half-an-hour extra time. The players suffered from fatigue, cramps, and muscle injuries before the penalty shootouts began.
Naobi Laishram scored the first goal for team Railways as Thingbaijam Babysana equalized the scores in the shootout. Yangoijam Kiranbala Chanu scored a crucial penalty and led the Manipur team to a 2-1 victory.
(Avya Mathur)