AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: Having defeated Pondicherry by an unassailable margin of 3-0, Tamilnadu cruise into the semi-final of Junior NFC 2016-17 today.

Pondicherry showed their resilience and averted every danger which was put up by the Tamilnadu girls during the first 45 minutes.

A Karthiga broke the deadlock finally in the 52nd minute and doubled the lead nine minutes later. Vijayakumari nailed the final one in the coffin before the 70-minute mark, having sealed the tie in Tamilnadu's favour.

Having won two matches at the quarter-final stage, Tamilnadu are the second team to book a berth in the semi-final from group B.

Meanwhile, Haryana girls continued their intimidating form against Bihar in the last match of the quarter-final stage, having signed off with a commanding 4-2 win.

Renu opened the goalmouth in the 23rd minute and Poonam doubled the lead even before the Bihar girls took their position after swallowing the first goal. Bihar girls didn't have the luck on their side as Soniya Kumari scored an own goal ten minutes later. At the stroke of the half-time, Nisha smacked Haryana's fourth goal.

Bihar came back strongly after the lemon break. Finally, they found their share of joy as Archana Kumari found the net in the 69th minute. On 78 minutes, Baby Kumari halved the gap between the teams but the match was sealed by then.

Manipur are now slated to face off with Tamilnadu in the first semi-final on 15th July and Haryana girls will lock their horns with their Orissa counterparts in the second semi-final on the same day at the Barabati Stadium.