Jhele nets 3 as Orissa rout Haryana in semis

Chandigarh, Jul 25 (UNI) It will be a repeat of last year's final as runners-up Orissa today set up a summit clash with defending champions Manipur on July 27 after routing haryana 6-0 in the third Junior Girls Under-17 National Football Championship here.

Playing a touch-game the Orissa players moved into the final at the expense of Haryana whom they defeated by half a dozen goals without reply.

Jhele Munda (6th, 14th and 60th minutes) fashioned the easy win for Orissa. Rashmita Popdh gave a superb performance on the left wing. She engineered numerous goal-scoring chances. With her well-judged crosses from the left flank, Rashmita kept the Haryana goalkeeper Rani and later Anju busy. Rashmita also scored two goals in the 37th and 42nd minutes. Santoseni Oram netted Orissa's third goal in the 34th minute.

Santoseni Oram was the main play maker for Orissa. She kept the Orissa forwards on the toes with regular supply.

Monti and Meenakshi manned the Haryana defence well but the well-trained and fast moving Orissa forwards got the better of them on a number of occasions.

The Haryana forwards, especially Diksha and Priyanka, could not do anything worthy as they were starved of supply. And whenever, they tried to enter the Orissa box, stubborn Orissa defenders thwarted their move.

Orissa went straight on the offence. They forged ahead in the sixth minute when Rashmita minused the ballto Jhele Munda to do the rest.

Eight minutes later, Orissa were two up as Jhele Munda displayed great opportunism after Haryana goalkeeper Rani fumbled to collect Rashmita's cross.

Rashmita herself could have scored in the 28th minute but her angular grounder was covered well by Haryana goalkeeper Rani. A sizzling straight drive by Santoseni Sahoo in the 34th minute saw Orissa gaining a commding 3-0 lead. Then Rashmita struck two goals.

In the 37th minute, Rashmita found the target following Orissa's fifth flag kick. Within two minutes after resumption, Rashmita guided a pass from Jhele Munda.

In the 60th minute, Haryana defenders Monti and Priya tripped Rashmita and a spot kick was awarded which was converted by Jhele Munda for her third goal.

The final will be played on July 27.

Teams: Orissa: Ahalya Munda (Sita Sharma), Sangeta Ray, Rashmeta Patra (Dharitri Ojha), Preyenka Sahoo, Santoseni Oram, Lochana Munda, Pratema Lakra,, Srimote Samal (Supreya Routray), Jhele Munda and Rashmita Podh.

Haryana: Rani (Anju), Neeti, Monti, Deepa, Rajni, Meenakshi, Priya Meena, Priyanka, Diksha and Preeti (Monika).

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