Sradhanjali Samantarai 'tricks' in Orissa's big win

Riding on a fine hat-trick by Sradhanjali Samantarai, Orissa trounced Kerala 6-0 to top Group B and book a berth in the women's football semi-finals at the 32nd National Games in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

In another match, despite losing 0-3 to Bihar, Andhra Pradesh made it to the last four stage on better goal difference.

In the semis, Orissa will clash with Group A runners-up Bengal, while Andhra take on defending champions Manipur on December 19.

The Manipur girls won both their leaguer matches to head group A.

Playing an attacking game from the outset, Orissa went into the lead in the 24th minute through Tumki Munda, who shot in from close after latching on to a long pass.

The winners kept up the pressure but could not increase the margin in the first session, as their forwards squandered several sitters.

Samantrai then stole the limelight after the breather as she scored three consecutive goals in the 64th, 73rd and 76th minutes to complete the first hat-trick of the tournament and take her goal tally to six.
 
The winners continued to launch relentless raids and struck two more goals towards the close. Sudipta Das and Aruna Divyadarshini found the mark in the 85th and 87th minutes respectively.

Bihar made a valiant but vain attempt to make it to the last four as they scored through Anjana Rani and Swati Kumari in the opening session, while Annu Kumari slotted home in injury time.