Ranzi Sports

Bengaluru: The Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru saw the India women’s football team achieve a remarkable 14-0 victory over the Maldives in their first international friendly on Monday. This match is the first of two scheduled friendlies, with the second set for Thursday.

Eight players made their international debuts, with three contributing significantly to the scoreline. Lynda Kom Serto scored four goals, while Pyari Xaxa netted three. Neha and Kajol Dsouza added two goals each, and Sangita Basfore, Sorokhaibam Ranjana Chanu, and Rimpa Haldar each scored once.

This victory marks one of the largest margins in the Blue Tigresses’ history, surpassing the previous record of 18-0 against Bhutan in 2010. The scoring began early, with Pyari opening the account in the seventh minute and quickly doubling the lead. She assisted Lynda Kom for her first goal and completed her hat-trick shortly after. Neha also scored and assisted Lynda for her second goal, who secured her hat-trick just before halftime.

The match was halted for 15 minutes after a linesman was swarmed by bees. He dashed across the field in search of shelter.

In the second half, India launched a relentless attack, with Sangita Basfore scoring the ninth goal just six minutes in. She then assisted Lynda Kom for her fourth goal, bringing India’s total to ten. Defender Ranjana Chanu added to the score with a curling shot in the 54th minute. Debutant Kajol Dsouza made a significant impact, scoring two goals (59’, 66’), with her second showcasing her skill. Substitute Rimpa Halder also scored in the 62nd minute.

The Maldives were eager for the match to end as India shifted to maintaining possession and experimenting with midfield strategies in the final quarter.

The second match is set to take place at the same location on January 2, 2025.