Sethu defeat India Rush to make Indian Women’s League semis

CHENNAI: Bangladeshi recruit

Sabina Khatun

scored a brace to help Madurai-based club

Sethu FC

defeat

India Rush Soccer Club

of Mumbai 3-2 in the Indian Women’s League final round match in Shillong on Wednesday. It was their win in four matches and helped them seal a semifinal spot.


In a scintillating first half,

India Rush

took the lead in the second minute when Samiksha burst onto the opponent half and scored. Rattled, Sethu dug deep and started to dominate possession, whilst showing signs of brilliance in the attacking third. Deservedly, in the 22nd minute, Sabina found the equaliser.

Two minutes later, Sethu almost took the lead but the resulting shot went wide as India Rush survived a scare. But Indumathi gave Sethu the lead when she tapped home a low cross from the left flank in the 44th minute. Sethu looked comfortable going into the break with the lead, but India Rush scored courtesy of Nisha in the 45th minute to make it 2-2.

But that wasn’t the end of the drama at the end of first half. In the added extra time of the first half, Sethu were awarded a penalty but Indumathi shot wide of the goal.

The intensity of the second half was nowhere near the first as both teams gauged each other and approached the game cautiously. In the 49th minute, Sethu could have got the lead again but Indhrani’s header from inside the box went inches over the bar. Sethu again came close to scoring in the 77th minute but could only rattle the woodwork. In the 86th minute, Sabina finally scored the winner with a calm finish.

“It was a challenging match. But Indumathi has been outstanding as the provider of the goals. All praise to our girls who played so well,” said Sethu FC coach Kalpana Dass.