Manisha Kalyan’s brace helped India open their campaign in the Turkish Women’s Cup football tournament with a hard-fought 4-3 win against Estonia here on Wednesday. This was the first time India’s senior women’s side beat a team from UEFA after defeats against Belarus, Ukraine and Romania.
Leading 4-1 by the 81st minute, India looked to be in control but Estonia gave them a scare by scoring in the 88th and 90th minutes at the Gold City Sports Complex. India forged ahead in the 17th minute through Kalyan who plays in the Cyprus top tier and has turned out in the UEFA Champions League. Lisette Tammik equalised in the 32nd minute but goals from Indumathi Kathiresan (62), Pyari Xaxa (79), and Kalyan (81) had given India a 4-1 lead. Estonia hit back through Vlada Kubassova (88′) and Mari Liis Lillemae (90′).
Using the width of the pitch, India took charge from the off and in the eighth minute Xaxa’s shot, after Karthika Angamuthu found her, hit the upright. Soon after, Xaxa’s pass had Kalyan in the clear but she shot wide. Kalyan made amends with a strike at the near post from a melee after Anju Tamang’s shot was blocked. Tammik restored parity, heading in Kubassova’s delivery.
In the second half, India took charge of the midfield and forged ahead when Soumya Guguloth, Tamang and Xaxa combined to release Kathiresan who fired a left-footed long-ranger that snuck into the bottom corner. Xaxa’s lung-bursting run to meet Guguloth’s ball and score with left-footer led to the third goal. It was 4-1 when Kalyan controlled a cross from Sandhiya Ranganathan to score another at the near post.
India will play their next match against Hong Kong on Saturday.
Score: India 4 (Manisha Kalyan 17’, 81’, Indumathi Kathiresan 62’, Pyari Xaxa 79’)
beat Estonia 3 (Lisette Tammik 32’, Vlada Kubassova 88’, Mari Liis Lillemae 90’)