Our Sports Reporter
GUWAHATI: Arunachal Pradesh and Bihar stormed into the semi final in the Junior Women's National Football Championship winning their respective quarter finals at the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium here today. In the first quarter final, held in the morning, Bihar came from behind to register a 3-2 victory that knocked out favourites Manipur.
In the second quarter-final, held in the afternoon, Arunachal Pradesh secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Chhattisgarh.
The first quarter-final between Bihar and Manipur was an entertaining affair. Manipur took the lead in the 15th minute. A long ball was played over the top for Babita Devi who was able to go around the onrushing goalkeeper and put the ball into the back of the net. After a frantic start, Manipur was able to gain control of the game.
However, Bihar equalised soon. In the 26th minute, Bihar's super-forward Lucky Kumari slid the ball into the path of Shruti Kumari who calmly dispatched it. Thereafter, both teams tried to control the game but it was Manipur who had the upper hand. Right after the interval, they made it count as Sanjita Devi scored a wonderfully chipped goal which left Bihar goalkeeper Khushi Kumari with no chance of saving it.
Bihar were not ready to give up just yet. Even after going down for the second time in the game, they came roaring back in the 66th minute as Sabara Khatun beat the Manipur goalkeeper, with Shruti Kumari becoming the creator this time around. Bihar completed their comeback in the dying embers of the game, as their star of the tournament so far, Lucky Kumari scored in the 87th minute from a header to seal Bihar's spot in the semi-final.
The second quarter final of the day, which was played between Arunachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh was a rather cagey affair. Arunachal Pradesh broke the deadlock in the 35th minute as Tallo Ana was played through on goal and with just the goalkeeper to beat, she effortlessly went around Meena Kashyap to put the ball into the back of the net.
Tomorrow's quarter final: Haryana vs West Bengal (9 AM)and Kerala vs Dadra and Nagar Haveli (3 PM ).
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