Uttar Pradesh authority with a dominant 6–1 win over Tripura in their encounter of the Dr. T. Ao Junior Girls’ National Football Championship, on Wednesday, at the Chümoukedima Football Stadium, played in front of more than 500 spectators.
UP began the match on the front foot, earning an early free kick that narrowly missed the target. Their sustained pressure paid off in the 3rd minute when Mansi (19) finished a well-worked move from the right flank to open the scoring. Tripura struggled to settle as Uttar Pradesh continued to push forward.
A defensive mix-up in the 17th minute gifted UP their second goal, with Divya (7) capitalising on the error to double the lead.
They nearly struck again from a free header inside the box, but the ball sailed over the bar.
Tripura, however, managed to claw one back against the run of play through a brilliant solo effort by Breejia (18) in the 31st minute.
Just when Tripura seemed to gain momentum, Mansi (19) restored UP’s two-goal advantage in the 43rd minute, taking them into halftime with a 3–1 lead. The second half saw no change in momentum as Uttar Pradesh resumed their dominance.
Anjali Yadav (3) extended the lead to 4–1 in the 48th minute with a composed finish, while a long-ranged effort in the 57th minute forced the Tripura keeper into a full-stretch save.
UP’s relentless pressure secured their fifth goal in the 60th minute through Mansi (19), who completed a memorable hat-trick.
Tripura’s defensive woes continued under constant pressure, ultimately resulting in an own goal in the 70th minute when Dhanita (3), in an attempt to clear the ball, inadvertently placed it into her own net, sealing a commanding 6–1 victory for Uttar Pradesh.
Thursday’s Match
J&K Vs Assam – 6:30 pm
Nagaland: Dr. T. Ao Junior Girls’ National C’ship: UP outclass Tripura 6–1
Staff ReporterDIMAPUR DEC 3 (NPN)