Manipur, Mizoram begin with wins in National women's football

Manipur defeated Meghalaya 4-0, while Mizoram earned a last-gasp 3-2 win over Kerala on the opening day of the National senior women's football championship.

Kerala's K. Manasa (left) plays the ball past Mizoram's Lallungmuani at the National women's football championship at Kozhikode.

‌There was heartbreak for Kerala in injury time against Mizoram on the opening day of the National senior women's football championship at the Corporation Stadium here on Sunday as Lalnunsiami's late strike saw the host slip to a 2-3 defeat.

Grace Lalrampari Hauhnar had put Mizoram ahead in the 39th minute, but goals from K.V. Athulya (44th) and Femina Rag (45th) had Kerala in the lead. Elizabeth Vanlalmawil, however, equalised for Manipur in the 79th minute.

At Koothuparamba, defending champion Manipur opened its campaign with a 4-0 victory against Meghalaya.

The results (preliminary league): Group A: Manipur 4 (Asem Roja Devi 45+2, Moirangthem Mandakini Devi 45+3, Yangoijam Kiranbala Chanu 54, Thingbaijam Babysana Dev 81) bt Meghalaya 0; Daman & Diu 2 (Diksha Bansod 17, V. Bomidha 48 -- og) bt Puducherry 0. Group B: Chattisgarh 9 (Shubhangi Subba 13 & 72, Kiran Pisda 46, 80 & 90+5) Masipogu Puspa 48, Hina Nirmalkar 82, Priyanka Futan 88 & 90) bt Dadra & Nagar Haveli 0. Group F: Odisha 9 (Jabamani Tudu 9 & 14, Sonia Behra 30,  Deepa Nayak 49, Satyabati Khadia 52, Subhadra Sahu 84 & 86, Karishma Oram 85, Jasoda Munda 90+4) bt Andhra 0; Haryana 4 (Karuna 7, Tanu 39, Jyoti 75, Parveen 82) bt Gujarat 0. Group G: Madhya Pradesh 4 (Madhu Raghav 21, Arti Rathore 50 & 56, Pallavi Goswami 9+3) bt Uttarakhand 1 (Bhagwati Chauhan 73); Mizoram 3 (Grace Lalrampari Hauhnar 39, Elizabeth Vanlalmawil 79, Lalnunsiami 90+3) bt Kerala 2 (K.V. Athulya 44, Femina Rag 45).

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