Himachal Pradesh wins Junior Girls NFC title

New Delhi [India], May 1 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh defeated Jharkhand by 3-1 in the finals of the Junior Girls National Football Championship to be crowned as the champions on Wednesday.
The finals were played at the Polo Ground in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Anju, Kiran, and Manisha scored for Himachal Pradesh whereas Kuwari Indwar scored the lone goal for Jharkhand.
The match started off at a frenetic pace as both teams looked determined to open the scoring from the outset. The deadlock was broken by Himachal Pradesh as the skipper Anju, made a well-timed run from midfield before collecting a pass and flicking it past the onrushing goalkeeper, giving Himachal a 1-0 lead.
Himachal Pradesh was not able to hold on to the lead for a long period as the scores were soon levelled in the ninth minute through Kuwari Indwar. The Jharkhand forward latched on to a loose ball inside the penalty area and turned swiftly to place the ball into the top corner and make the score 1-1.
However, Himachal regained their advantage in the 11th minute of the match as Kiran scored one of the best goals of the tournament, gaining a 2-1 lead.
Himachal further enhanced their lead in the 33rd minute as Manisha scored the goal for the team. By the half time, Himachal had gained a 3-1 lead in the match.
The second half was a reasonably quiet affair. Jharkhand tried their level best to break the deadlock, but Himachal's tight defence did not allow the team to make a comeback in the match.
Himachal defenders stood tall and dealt with Jharkhand's attempts to get past them with ease as the scoreline continued to read 3-1.
In the end, Himachal Pradesh held on for the win comfortably and lifted the trophy. (ANI)