IWL 2: Indian Arrows Women Juniors Start Off with a Win
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Synopsis
On April 2, the Indian Arrows Women Juniors launched their IWL 2 campaign by securing a 2-1 victory against the Pudhuvai Unicorns at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence Phase 2, with the score tied 1-1 at halftime.
Key Takeaways
- Indian Arrows Women Juniors win their first IWL 2 match.
- Abhista Basnett opened the scoring early.
- The match was tied 1-1 at halftime.
- Valaina Jada Fernandes scored the winning goal.
- Great teamwork and set pieces were key to the victory.
Bengaluru, April 2 (NationPress) The Indian Arrows Women Juniors kicked off their Indian Women’s League (IWL) 2 journey with a 2-1 triumph over Pudhuvai Unicorns at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence Phase 2 on Wednesday. The score was level at 1-1 at halftime.
Abhista Basnett (11’) was the first to score for Indian Arrows, followed by Keerthana M (40’) who equalized just before the break. The Arrows returned with renewed energy in the second half, as Valaina Jada Fernandes (49’) netted the decisive goal shortly after the restart.
In the 11th minute, Indian Arrows made their mark with a well-executed set piece. Anushka Kumari took a corner that found midfielder Abhista Basnett, who expertly timed her jump to head the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
The Arrows maintained aggressive pressure in the first half, but their attempts to extend the lead resulted in multiple offside calls. Conversely, Pudhuvai Unicorns gradually gained momentum, nearly scoring twice before leveling the match in the 40th minute. Keerthana headed in an unmarked corner, bringing the teams even as they headed to the locker rooms.
Emerging from the half with determination, Indian Arrows quickly regained the lead. Midfielder Julan Nongmaithem displayed exceptional skill by dribbling past two defenders and assisting substitute Valaina Fernandes, who unleashed a curling shot from outside the box into the bottom-right corner.
