Sasmita Malik's hat-trick helped Odisha's Rising Student Club thrash Aizawl FC 6-1, while Kamala Devi and Kashmina dazzled with a hat-trick each for Eastern Sporting Union's 7-1 drubbing of Jeppiar Institute of Technology FC 7-1 on the opening day of the Indian Women's League football competition here on Saturday.
AIFF Player of the Year 2016 Sasmita struck in the 41st, 77th and 90th minutes, while teammates Anju Tamang (13th and 88th) and Pyari Xaxa (23rd) also scored as Rising Student Club trounced Aizawl.
The north-eastern outfit, however, took the lead through Elizabeth's fourth-minute strike but afterwards, it was all about Rising Student Club, who showed their might by fielding as many as eight internationals.
Sasmita was declared the Player of the Match winning Rs. 5000 ($74) in the process.
"It was a good boost for us," she said. "This victory will make us confident as we progress further in the league. We have worked very hard for the first edition of the IWL," she said.
In the other match of the day at the Ambedkar Stadium, Eastern Sporting Union rode on a hat-trick apiece from national team striker Kamala (44th, 62nd and 83rd minutes) and Kashmina (71st, 88th and 90th) to begin their IWL campaign in style with a 7-1 rout of Jeppiar Institute of Technology FC.
Premi Devi (77th) was the other scorer for Eastern Sporting Union.
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Sandhya (63rd) was the lone scorer for Jeppiar.
--IANS
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