Staff Reporter

Fatorda

Goa got their senior women’s national football championship campaign to a flying start with a brilliant performance, securing a convincing 3-0 win over Rajasthan at the PJN Stadium in Fatorda on Saturday.

Karen Estrocio netted a brace while Velanie Fernandes added the third for the hosts.

The match saw a commanding display by the hosts, who dominated the game from the start. Despite Sushmita Jadhav squandering a couple of early opportunities, Goa refused to allow Rajasthan to settle into the game. Velanie Fernandes also came close to scoring, but Rajasthan’s goalkeeper Deepika made a fine save to deny Namita Govekar.

However, it was Namita Shripad Govekar who helped break the deadlock for Goa in the 30th minute, sending a glorious ball into the area that Karen Estrocio headed in to give the hosts a well-deserved lead. At halftime, Goa led 1-0.

In the second half, Karen Estrocio doubled Goa’s lead with a powerful shot, before Velanie Fernandes added the third with a stunning long-range effort in the 64th minute, sealing the game beyond the opponents’ reach.

Goa could have scored more goals if not for Rajasthan’s defender, Priyanka Yadav and Jyoti, who came up with crucial blocks to deny Velanie, Rizella Almeida, and Sushmita.

The opening ceremony of the game was graced by the presence of AIFF General Secretary Shaji Prabhakaran and GFA President Dr. Caitano Fernandes, who officially declared the tournament open. With this commanding victory, Goa has made a strong statement in the championship and will look to carry this momentum forward in their upcoming matches.