Punjab defeats Puducherry, UP thrashes Karnataka

Chandigarh, Nov 5 (UNI) Punjab defeated Puducherry 1-0 victory in the Cluster II match of the Seventh Girls Junior National Football Championship for Under-19 played in Faridabad and Gurgaon.

The all-important goal was scored by Mandeep Kaur in the sixth minute of the first half.

Uttar Pradesh, who lost to Orissa by 4-1 in their first Cluster I fixture, were in top form today as they outplayed Karnataka by a handsome margin of 9-0. Krishna Singh was their star performer as she pumped in goals in the 10th, 30th, 43rd and 69th minute.

Sneha Sachan scored two goals in the 39th and 68th minutes.

Pooja Bhatt (26th), Kahkashana Bano (40th) and Rupali Singh (48th) added one goal each to the winners' tally.

Orissa and Uttar Pradesh have one win each. However, Orissa have to play Karnataka on November 7 to decide the cluster winners.

Chandigarh suffered their second succesive defeat and are out of the race for a berth in quarter-final league. Despite giving an improved display inexperienced Chadigarh lost to West Bengal by 3-0.

Chandigarh put up a good show and kept West Bengal at bay till the 33rd minute before Rojina Katoon opened her team's account.

Five minutes later Pooja Karmakar made it 2-0. In the second session, Pooja Karmakar struck again in the 74th minute for a 3-0 win for Bengal.

The West Bengal-Assam match on November 7 will decide the cluster winners as both have registered one win each.

In Cluster III, Kerala blanked Madhya Pradesh by 4-0.

Bobilm scored in the 56th and 69th minute. Earlier Nasy Munish gave Kerala the lead in the 35th minute and Reshtr doubled the margin in the 40th minute.

UNI XC RKM PK HT2124