AIFF Media Team

KOLKATA: Defending champions Tamil Nadu and hosts Bengal qualified for the semi-finals as Group A of the 28th Senior Women’s National Football Championship for Rajmata Jijabai Trophy wrapped up in Kolkata on Friday, May 10, 2024.

While Tamil Nadu comprehensively emerged as toppers with a 4-0 win over Punjab at the Bidhannagar Municipal Ground, Bengal squeezed through in second place despite a lacklustre 0-0 draw with bottom side Chandigarh, which meant that Railways thumping 5-0 win over Delhi proved fruitless.

Tamil Nadu finished the group with 13 points, while Bengal and Railways ended with 10 points each. However, Bengal's 3-1 win over Railways on Wednesday meant that the hosts bagged second place due to a better head-to-head record.

Both teams will know their semi-final opponents on Saturday. Tamil Nadu will face Group B runners-up (either Manipur, Haryana or Odisha) in the semi-finals, while Bengal will play the toppers (either Manipur or Haryana). The semi-finals will be held on Monday, May 13.

Determined Chandigarh keep Bengal at bay

Bengal 0
drew with
Chandigarh 0

Bengal did not have it plain-sailing against already-eliminated Chandigarh and were made to toil for 90 minutes. While Chandigarh were resolute at the back, with the hope of not returning empty-handed from the final round, Bengal were guilty of being wasteful in the final third too. They came close on two occasions in the first 45 minutes - when Chandigarh custodian Nandini almost spilled Sangita Basfore's free-kick into her own net before gathering it on the second attempt, and when Mousumi Murmi's left-footed strike flashed millimetres off the top corner deep in added time.

Bengal kept hunting for the opener after the break and pushed Chandigarh deeper into their own third. Nandini was also made to work more - she held firmly onto Bengal substitute Rimpa Haldar's side-footed shot from close range. In the 73rd minute, Bengal put the ball in the net but the goal did not count due to a foul on Nandini. As the Chandigarh goalkeeper leapt to catch Poonam Sharma's cross, she was tripped by Murmu before Anibala Devi slotted into the empty net. However, referee Ranjita Devi had already whistled for the foul by then. A couple of minutes later, Nandini made a good stop to deny Sulanjana Raul.

Bengal's frustrations soared every minute, but the Chandigarh backline was not ready to give an inch. And the one time they did, the hosts fluffed their chance. Sathi Debnath went on a surging run through the middle, cutting past a few Chandigarh shirts before getting a clear sight of the goal, but she could only strike wide. In the end, Bengal breathed a sigh of relief as the point proved enough to take them through, while celebrations broke out in the Chandigarh camp after a mighty defensive display which saw them finally take a point from their last match.

Kamala Devi nets hat-trick as Railways thump Delhi

Delhi 0
lost to
Railways 5 (Mamta 3', Yumnam Kamala Devi 13', 26', 49', Diparnita Dey 90+2')

It took Railways just three minutes to open the scoring. Delhi goalkeeper Khushi rushed to the edge of the box to clear Supriya Routray's cross from the left, but Mamta beat her to the ball and poked it home.

Then it was Kamala Devi's turn to list herself on the scoring charts. 10 minutes later, a defensive mix-up from Delhi allowed Sanju to square the ball for the former India international who tapped it into the empty net from close range. Kamala then made it 3-0 in the 26th minute, getting on the end of an Ashalata Devi free-kick and squeezing a header past Khushi at the far post.

Just four minutes into the second half, Railways struck again in similar fashion. Ashalata swung in another inviting delivery from the right and Delhi made the mistake of leaving Kamala unmarked again. The veteran striker popped up at the back post again and tucked it home for her hat-trick. Deep in added time, substitute Diparnita Dey also joined the scoresheet, sliding forward to slot home Railway's fifth and final goal in the 92nd minute.

Despite firing on all cylinders on the final day, Railways' big win proved insufficient to qualify for the semi-finals as their 1-3 loss to Bengal two days ago made all the difference in the end. Delhi finished the group in fourth place with six points.

Tamil Nadu breeze past Punjab

Tamil Nadu 4 (Sandhiya Ranganathan 5', Priyadharshini S 10', Amsavalli 80', Lalam Haokip 90+1')
beat
Punjab 0

Tamil Nadu required a win against Punjab to sail into the semi-finals as group toppers and they got the job done with ease. Within the first 10 minutes, the defending champions found themselves with a two-goal cushion thanks to strikes from Sandhiya Ranganathan and Priyadharshini S. Substitute Amsavalli made it three in the 80th minute before Punjab's Lalam Haokip scored into her own net to wrap up the win for Tamil Nadu. Punjab ended the group in fifth place with three points, their lone win coming over Chandigarh.