Karishma Shirvoikar brace as Panjim Footballers defeat FC Alakhpura

It was the first win for the Goans in the ongoing Indian Women's League in Ludhiana.

Panjim Footballers posted their first win of the 2018-19 Hero Indian Women’s League season, as they pipped FC Alakhpura 2-1 in a tight affair at the Guru Nanak Stadium, in Ludhiana, on Thursday.

Karishma Shirvoikar broke the Alakhpura defence twice to help PAnjim earn the three points, but it was the tactical defence of Scindia Saudatikar that stole the show and earned the defender the Player of the Match Award.

It was a tight affair between two sides that seems to have had each other sized-up pretty well. However, it was Panjim, who broke the deadlock early on in the game.

Karishma Shirvoikar beat the Alakhpura offside trap, ran on to an aerial ball that was played in behind the defence, and slipped it past the Alakhpura keeper Neelam to put Panjim in the lead.

Having taken the lead, Panjim were happy to sit back and let Alakhpura have the ball, while they concentrated on keeping their defensive shape intact.

Keeping their backline strong was a strategy that worked wonders for Panjim, who had conceded three in their previous match against Hans Women FC.

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It took them a little over 10 minutes after the start of the second half to double the score. Again, it was an aerial ball played in behind the defence, as Karishma ran on to the ball and lobbed it over the keeper.

Alakhpura kept knocking on the door and Panjim finally budged from a set-piece, as the Haryana side's India U-18 International Samiksha expertly nodded it in.

FC Alakhpura 1 (Samiksha 71’)

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Panjim Footballers 2 (Karishma Shirvoikar 9’, 56’)