Sharjah, Feb 20 (IANS) The India senior women’s national team began its campaign in the Pink Ladies Cup 2025 with a 2-0 victory against Jordan at the Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium on Thursday. The Blue Tigresses led 1-0 at half-time. Midfielder Naorem Priyangka Devi (23’) and winger Manisha (54’) scored, to give India their first win with Crispin Chettri as the head coach.
The Blue Tigresses began on a cautious note, the majority of their intent coming from the left flank with Priyangka playing the fiddle for Manisha to run at the Jordan defence. However, it was Jordan forward Roukayah Al Fararjeh, who had the first real opportunity of the match as she was played through behind India’s last defender Sanju. The forward made her way into the box but was soon stopped by India goalkeeper Shreya Hooda.
Priyangka put the Indian nerves at ease in the 23rd minute, when she bought the raffle from around 25 yards out. She did indeed get the rub of the green, as Jordan goalkeeper Alshalabe misjudged the bounce of the ball and bundled it into the goal.
Minutes after the goal, India forward Sandhiya Ranganathan capitalised a momentary confusion in the Jordan defensive lines to make her way into the box, before she cut it back for Manisha, who sent her effort over the cross-bar.
Bana Bitar produced a fine opportunity for Jordan towards the end of the first half as she fizzed a cross from the left across the goal, though none of her teammates could get there on time to put a touch on it.
The second half saw Jordan come out with an initial burst of intent, but the India defence, marshalled by captain Ngangbam Sweety Devi and youngster Purnima Kumari weathered the short-lived storm before Manisha and Soumya Guguloth took matters onto their swift feet. On the counter, the latter played an accurate aerial through ball to Manisha, who scurried into the box before whipping a low cross in. Soumya had made her way into the box just in time to get a foot on the ball inside the six-yard box, but Alshalabe got a palm onto it in the nick of time.
Manisha doubled India’s lead minutes short of the hour mark when she was played through on the left by Sandhiya. She sped past her marker and produced a deceptive shot with her left toe that whistled past the keeper at the near post.
India coach Chettri introduced a host of changes in the last few minutes of the game, choosing to hand Lisham Babina Devi her international debut. Karishma Purushottam Shirvoikar, another of the substitutes created the opportunity for a third goal when she cut the ball back from the goal line on the left for Priyangka, but a sliding Ayah Al-Majali thwarted her effort before Shreya made a point-blank save in injury time off Lana Feras’ header to help India keep their clean sheet.
–IANS
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