India thrash Maldives 11-0 in SAFF Women’s Championship opener
India began their SAFF Women’s Football Championship campaign with a commanding 11-0 victory over Maldives in Margao. Aveka Singh starred with four goals and two assists as the hosts dominated throughout to make a strong statement in the tournament opener
Margao: Title contenders India made an emphatic start in the SAFF Women’s Football Championship as they pumped in goals for fun to register a crushing 11-0 win over Maldives in the tournament opener here on Monday.
Aveka Singh emerged as the top performer of the match with four goals and two assists, as the 22-year-old midfielder dismantled the Maldives defence with an incredible display that turned their opening Group B match into a one-sided contest at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
This was also the first time the Indian women’s team played in football hub Goa, and the home team ensured a resounding start after dominating the match from beginning to end.
There was no surprise as Aveka walked away with the Player of the Match award after India, ranked 69th in the world and seeking to reclaim the title they last won in 2019, made their intentions clear.
While Aveka Singh (34′, 66′, 70′, 86′) grabbed the spotlight with her impressive performance, including a low diving header that crashed into the Maldives net, India also had other scorers in Priyangka Naorem (11′, 17′), Karishma (53′, 68′), Pyari Xaxa (28′), Dangmei Grace (40′) and Sangita Basfore (60′).
The huge margin of defeat reflected India’s complete dominance in the match. The record five-time tournament winners will face reigning champions Bangladesh in their next match on Sunday.
India started the game on an attacking note against world No. 167 Maldives and found the back of the net just before the five-minute mark after Dangmei Grace set up Pyari Xaxa for a tap-in. The goal, however, was ruled out for offside.
The hosts, though, took the lead minutes later as Priyangka Devi latched onto a Sangita Basfore cross from close range.
There was no looking back as India went into the half-time break with a 5-0 lead. The hosts continued in the same manner in the second half with no drop in intensity, scoring six more goals, including three by Aveka.
The Blue Tigresses carried a dominant head-to-head record into the match, having won seven of their eight meetings against Maldives while drawing the other.
The top two teams from Group B will advance to the tournament semifinals to face qualifiers from Group A, which comprises Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
