TN, Orissa maintain their winning spree

Chandigarh, Nov 12 (UNI) Cluster VI winners Tamil Nadu are emerging as dark horse after recording their second successive triumph by beating Cluster V runners-up Jharkhand by 5-1 in a Group A quarter-final league match in the seventh Girls Junior National Football Championship for Under-19, being played at the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Gurgaon today.

The winners led 3-1 at half time. Playing as a team, Tamil Nadu started asserting themselves in the 14th minute when M Jayanthi caught the Jharkhand defence on the wrong foot.

Star striker of Tamil Nadu K R Kalpana then pumped in two goals in the 17th and 25th minutes while C Chiranchiyal put Tamil Nadu in a comfortable position (4-0) in the 31st minute. Saraswati got the lone goal for Jharkhand, who have lost both their quarter-final league matches. Tamil Nadu scored their last goal in the 70th minute through Jayalakshmi.

In another group A quarter-final league, formidable Cluster I champions Orissa continued their winning spree after blanking Cluster IV winners Assam by 4-0. Thumki Munda scored a brace as Orissa registered their second successive win in the quarter-final league. Indra Munda netted the fourth goal for Orissa. In between a 'self' goal by Helen More helped Orissa gain a 3-0 lead.

Assam suffered their second successive defeat and are virtually out the race for a semi-final berth.

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