ISLAMABAD: Defending champions India showed exactly why they are the hot favourites — and the team to beat — at the SAFF Women’s Championship.

Already assured of a place in the semi-finals, they mauled Afghanistan 12-0 in their final preliminary round match as Group ‘A’ came to a close on Monday with Bangladesh beating the Maldives 3-1 to finish second behind India in the section and take the final last-four berth.

Sri Lanka and Nepal had already booked their places in the semi-finals from Group ‘B’ of the regional event being played here at the Jinnah Stadium.

India took just three minutes to find the back of the net, Indumathi Kathiresan the scorer before star striker Bala Devi doubled their advantage barely a minute later.

After that, it was a question of how much India would score — and who would score. Indumathi made it 3-0 three minutes later and Bala matched her team-mate with her second in the 12th minute.

Prameshwori Devi made it 5-0 a minute before the half-hour mark and Bala scored twice in the space of six minutes to hand India a seven-goal advantage by the 39th.

Prameshwori then completed her hat-trick before half-time, scoring twice in first half injury-time.

The change of ends didn’t change Afghanistan’s fortunes though as Indumati completed her treble six minutes into the second half, pouncing on a defensive error before Prameshwori netted her fourth in the 69th.

Bala scored her fifth and India’s 12th six minutes from time to cap off a scintillating performance by her team who enjoyed full support of the Pakistani crowd at the Jinnah Stadium.

That, however, gave rise to some ugly scenes as the support from the Pakistan women’s team, present at the ground, drew the ire of some Afghan supporters in the stands.

The Afghan supporters and the Pakistan women’s team exchanged harsh words but media manager Irfan Niazi and national team head-coach Tariq Lutfi rushed to the scene and settled down the issue.

To avoid any further confrontation, Lutfi directed his team to leave the stadium.

“It wasn’t a big issue as there is no ban on Pakistan women team from supporting the team of their choice,” Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) secretary Col Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi told Dawn. “The coach played a positive role of directing the team to leave the venue.”

With India’s match over, attention turned to the vital clash between Bangladesh and Maldives with both teams level on points going into their match.

Striker Maynu Marma opened the scoring for Bangladesh in the 18th minute before Sabina Khatoon doubled their advantage and put them in cruise control of the match — and the race for the last semi-final spot — when she scored in the 35th.

Bangladesh were eager to finish off the contest but Maldives showed good grit in the second half, foiling several Bangladeshi moves, and Aishath Sama gave them hope of a comeback when she scored in the 81st.

Their hopes were short-lived, though, a Sabina headed Sunu Pru Marma’s cross into the Maldives goal three minutes from time and ensure Bangladesh’s passage to the last four.

Published in Dawn, November 18th , 2014