Kolkata, January 6: East Bengal Women delivered a dominant performance as they cruised to a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Kickstart FC in the Indian Women’s League at the Kalyani Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
The Moshal Girls took control early and never allowed Kickstart a way back into the contest, producing a display marked by attacking intent, clinical finishing, and defensive solidity.
East Bengal broke the deadlock in the 15th minute through Fazila, who calmly found the back of the net to give her side a deserved lead. Kickstart did have a rare opportunity to respond four minutes later when Aweda broke through on a goalbound attack and entered the box in a one-on-one situation. However, East Bengal keeper Panthoi Chanu showed great awareness, rushing off her line to collect the ball and neutralise the danger.
The visitors doubled their advantage deep into first-half stoppage time. In the 45+4th minute, Resty Nanziri finished from inside the box, sending the ball crashing off the crossbar before it bounced into the net, ensuring East Bengal Women went into the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead.
The second half saw East Bengal Women further tighten their grip on the match. In the 60th minute, Fazila attempted a powerful long-range effort that struck the crossbar. The rebound fell to unmarked Sulanjana, who headed out the ball into the net, making it 3-0.
Just a minute later, East Bengal struck again. Fazila once more proved influential as she latched onto a through ball, went into the box, and unleashed a shot. Although a Kickstart defender could tried to intervene but, the loose ball was capitalised on by Astam Oraon, who finished on target to extend the lead to 4-0.
The highlight of the afternoon arrived in the 74th minute when Fazila scored her second goal of the match, and East Bengal’s fifth. Set up neatly by Resty, Fazila showed her composure to slot the ball into the net, completing a memorable afternoon and marking her 50th goal in the Indian Women’s League.
Fazila was later forced off in the 80th minute following a head injury sustained during a tussle for the ball involving Linthoi and Edeh, which required immediate medical attention on the field. She was replaced by Thandamoni Baskey.
Fazila was forced to seek medical attention on the field following a lengthy stoppage after a head injury, before eventually walking off under her own strength. However, as a precautionary measure, she was taken to the hospital by the team after the final whistle. The match ended 5-0 in favour of East Bengal Women, once again underlining their dominance and attacking depth as they continue their imperious run in the Indian Women’s League.
Anthony Andrew’s East Bengal Women have simply kept the scoreboard burning this season. Maintaining their high-scoring momentum in every outing, the Moshal Girls have won all five of their matches, collecting a perfect 15 points while netting an astonishing 21 goals. With two matches still remaining in the first phase, they continue to firmly establish themselves as one of the most contested sides in the competition as they push forward in their title defence.
Indian Women’s League 2025-26: Kickstart FC vs East Bengal FC highlights
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