New Delhi: The Indian women's football team put up another dominant display at the 13th South Asian Games 2019 as they crushed Sri Lanka by a massive margin of 6-0 at the Pokhara Stadium in Pokhara, Nepal on Thursday.
Sandhiya Ranganathan scored a brace in the first half, Ratanbala Devi scored one in each half while Dangmei Grace and Bala Devi scored a goal each to register a thunderous victory for India.
This victory comes a couple of days after India thrashed Maldives 5-0 in their opener at SAG.
India were on top of their opponents right from the kick off whistle and that yielded into a goal in the seventh minute itself. A Ranjana Chanu cross was met by Dangmei Grace, who opened the scoring for India early on. The lead was doubled by Sandhiya after she was played in by Ratanbala in the 10th minute.
A little after the quarter-hour mark, Sandhiya returned the favour, as she set up Ratanbala (18'), who helped India take a three-goal lead.
As the game approached the half-hour mark, Ratanbala was denied by the woodwork but the team was not to be denied. Grace got on to the rebound and executed an intricate interplay between herself and Bala, before Sandhiya (25') finished it off.
Throughout the course of the game, India were in full control of the pace of the game, even as they chose to slow things down and passed around the ball comfortably.
With their batteries recharged in the break, India came out in the second half with the vigour of the first and once again, went on a spree of prodding and probing Sri Lanka's defensive third.
Head coach Maymol Rocky made a couple of changes around the hour mark, bringing on Daya Devi and Manisha in place of Sandhiya and Ranjana, respectively.
It was in the dying embers of the game when the Indians added two more to the tally.
With just two minutes of regulation time left, substitute Manisha set up Ratanbala with a through ball and the latter completed her brace.
W Linthoingambi, who was brought on in the last 10 minutes, turned provider in added time when she sent in an inch-perfect cross for Bala Devi (90+1') to score the sixth goal.
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