U-17 Women's Championship: Lionesses ease past Panthers 3-0; Amisha Baxla dazzles in Tigresses' win over Cheetahs

Kalyani: The Alex Ambrose-coached Lionesses handed Panthers a 3-0 defeat in the opening match of the Hero U-17 Women’s Championship on Monday. Sudha Tirkey (17th minute) shot into her own net before goals from Lynda Kom (35th) and Priyanka Sujeesh Pottekat (73th) saw the Lionesses claim full points. The championship, organised by Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), is aimed at helping build a team for next year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which the country is hosting. [caption id=“attachment_7637091” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Lionesses celebrate after scoring. Image courtesy: ISL[/caption] Lionesses’ Sumati Kumari could have easily scored the first goal of the tournament inside six minutes but it was Panthers’ captain Sudha who had the misfortune of guiding the ball into her own net while trying to clear a cross from Sunita Munda. The Lionesses were fluid on the pitch and the Subhash Chakraborty-coached Panthers could do little. Lynda Kom, who starred for India in last month’s SAFF U-15 Women’s Championships with four goals chipped in a ball over Anjali Barke’s head after the goalkeeper fumbled, allowing Priyanka to set her up inside the box. With newly-appointed India U-17 Women’s head coach Thomas Dennerby watching from the stands, Lionesses kept the momentum in the second half. Priyanka was rewarded with a goal for the constant pressure she mounted on the Panthers’ defence but it was second-half substitute Daisy Crasto who had the chance of the evening as the Lionesses fell shy of scoring the fourth in the dying embers of the game. Amisha Baxla magic helps Tigresses beat Bembem Devi’s Cheetahs Two early goals from Tigresses helped the Priya PV-coached side register a 2-1 win over Cheetahs in the second game of the U-17 Women’s tournament. Amisha Baxla scored and set up Karen Estrocio before Reet Kashyap got Cheetahs a consolation goal. [caption id=“attachment_7637071” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Tigresses celebrate after scoring. Image courtesy: ISL[/caption] Cheetahs head coach and Indian football legend Oinam Bembem Devi saw her charges drop on the backfoot after a defence-splitting pass from the Tigresses midfield which witnessed the Jharkhand-born Baxla flash in from the right-wing to finish with perfection. Estrocio was then assisted by Baxla as the girls in blue romped up a two-goal cushion within six minutes. Aveka Singh dictated proceedings from midfield as Tigresses held on comfortably. Inspiration was not far away for the Cheetahs with Bembem Devi’s guidance from the touchline. A better show in the second half was rewarded with a glorious long range-goal from Reet Kashyap after defensive naivety from the Tigresses. Tigresses who joined Lionesses on top of the table will now face Panthers on Wednesday, while Lionesses will lock horns with Cheetahs on the same day. With inputs from PTI.